


Just Alec, now

by Thefrogwhoswalloed



Category: Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Adult Content, All Human, M/M, Other, alternative universe
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-15
Updated: 2016-02-25
Packaged: 2018-04-26 11:52:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 14
Words: 39,567
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5003764
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thefrogwhoswalloed/pseuds/Thefrogwhoswalloed
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After running away from the Institute where young men are to be cleaned of their "dirty longing", Alec finds himself with Magnus and his two guardians. Thinking his whole family had abandoned him, he builds a new life. But what happens when secrets are revealed and he finds himself face to face with his family and his past? AU/AH, mature content, language</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. 1 - No more Gee

RUN!, was all he could think of as he made his way down the unfamiliar path through the city he had never been to. Run and get away from that place! Run from the destiny that would await him in the next few days. His lungs were screaming at him, the cold air making them burn as he ran and ran and ran. 

„Your family has sold you so they could 'cleanse' you from your dirty longing.", his room mate – he hadn't a better name for the dirty fair haired child who was sleeping in the bed next to his and he didn't know his real name anyway – had told him. „In the end, we all were brought here because our families couldn't live with what we are." He had looked horrified at what the boy – he went by the name 'Adam' – had told him. No, his father – his family – wasn't like the others. No, he would come back to get him home. But that hope was crushed today.

He had sneaked into the headmaster's office and found THE BOOK – it contained every single name of every single boy ever being brought to the Institute. He searched for his name – Gideon A. Lightwood (he always had hated his first name and liked to be called by his middle name – his father despised it and had told him to be proud of his name and the history coming with it) – and found a sum and an entry: „$2,000 – not to be brought back". His brain tried to process the meaning behind the words, but he couldn't quite understand. Then the door opened and the headmaster walked in. The angry look on the man's scarred face was soon replaced by a lazy smirk. Of course this man knew exactly what the boy had found and as so many of the smart ones before him couldn't understand, couldn't comprehend the meaning behind it.

The headmaster walked to the boy and took the Book out of the small hands. Still smirking he sat behind his desk and looked at him. Porcelain skin, dark ebony hair and eyes as blue as the sky – this boy would make him rich. The gentlemen using his establishment would literally kill to get the first night with the boy. There was already a bidding going on and that had started after Mr Gordon – family father, teacher – had seen him from afar while he was on his way to have a little 'date' with one of the older boys. Of course this man had to tell the other gentlemen while sitting in the sauna and talking about 'their boys' of the blue eyed beauty being let to one of the classrooms. The startling innocence that was radiating in waves from this boy had allured Mr Gordon to the point that he proclaimed that he would deflower the black haired beauty and that of course let to the bidding.

„Have you found what you were looking for, Gee?", he asked the scared boy in front of him. The delicious lips were pressed into a thin line as he shook his head. „No?", he asked again, receiving the same short shake of the boy's head. „I think that you found what you were looking for, but you don't like it. I am right, Gee, aren't I?", the headmaster smiled fondly at the child. He stood up and walked around the big mahogany desk to kneel in front of him. „Many of you have found the Book. It is not really well hidden, don't you think? Many of those who have found it, have found a similar entry to your's – a sum of money and an additional note. Your parents paid me to take you in, to cleanse you, to educate you." He trailed his fingers down the younger male's cheek causing him to flinch. „Your father paid 2,000 dollar so that his oldest son would be taken in and never be seen again. You see, he is one of the few who actually know what we really are. He knows that we don't give you an education to release you into an un-gay life." The headmaster stood up and walked to a filing cabinet on the other side of the room. Unlocking it, he got some files out and walked back to the dark haired child. „This is what you are here for, Gee." The older man laid some photographs in front of the boy, showing him male teenagers in all states of undress in different poses. „First we teach them how to converse and then we teach them how to swallow. That is our maxim, my dear Gee." The headmaster collected the photographs and put them into one of his drawers. Disgusted the boy stared at the older man who was looking at him with predator's eyes. „When I first saw you, I knew you were something special. We have a moral of sorts here in the Institute. We let the boys coming here have a year of learning and coming to terms with their sexuality. Then we put them up for a bidding and the gentleman with the highest bidding gets the first night of said boy. If the boy is even after that year under the age of 16 – as it would be the case with you – they get a little longer until they will be a part of our establishment. But you, Gee, are so beautiful, so innocent, that we cannot wait. You my dear will be the attraction for years to come." During the speech of the older man the boy's skin got paler until it became a grey-greenish colour. Seeing that the dark haired child had enough and now understood what he was here for, the older male lay a hand on the younger male's shoulder to lead him out of the room. That put the boy into motion. He got the nameplate from the headmaster's desk an flung it at the older male's head. Before he could progress what just had happened, the boy made his way out of the headmaster's office and out of the building.

Only one thing could stop him now and that was the older teenager coming out of the bakery who wasn't fast enough to get out of the dark haired boy's pathway. They made it stumbling to the ground, the cake flying through the air landing on the street. Huffing the older boy got to his feet glaring at the younger male. „Are you stupid or something? That was a birthday present, you idiot! What are you doing, running around like that?" He brushed the dirt from his jeans and took a look at the destroyed cake or what was being smeared on the street by the cars driving over the cake box. Still huffing he turned around to lecture the smaller boy again. Really what was he doing? Stupid boy making him lose his gift for Will – and probably getting a sarcastic response for 'walking with a cake through Manhattan while texting on his mobile' when he came home and told the story. Speaking of it, where was his mobile? He groped through his many pockets on his jacket and jeans and with a triumphing 'yay!' found it in his left jacket pocket. Looking at it, he saw no missed calls or messages while he had been lying on the dirty street – for whole 30 seconds mind you.

Come to think of it, the other boy was still sitting on the ground. Magnus crouched down and poked him on his head. „Hej. Are you still there?" The dark haired boy – who couldn't be much older than 12, maybe 13 – was breathing heavily and clutching his arm to his chest. „You didn't get hurt, did you?" Magnus put a hand on the shoulder of the boy but he flinched away pressing his arm tighter to his chest.

„Okay, listen up little one. Either you are getting up from the ground and I take you to the nearest hospital to get your arm checked or I'm calling the police who then will bring you to the nearest hospital and from there to your parents who can pay for the cake you just destroyed. Actually I like the second one."

The younger boy's hand snapped up that Magnus cringed away. Clear blue eyes were staring up at him brimming with unshed tears, black hair framed the face and his skin had a rosy tint from the running – in one word the boy was beautiful (although he resembled Will just a tiny bit too much). Shaking his head to clear the image of Will away, Magnus crossed his arms over his chest.

„So what will it be." 

The younger boy was still staring at him. It unnerved Magnus a bit as he hadn't said a word and didn't look like he would be talking his head off within the next moments. Magnus sighed and took one last look to the dirty remains of his cake box before he got his mobile from his pocket and unlocked it. „I'm sorry for your cake." It was barely over a whisper but it made Magnus pause. He looked over to the younger boy who was still sitting on the ground. Most of the pedestrians were walking by the pair and the others who stopped with an inquiring glance were soon on their way with the help of a glare from Magnus.

Sighing again, the older boy reached his hand out to help the younger male to his feet. „Are you angry?" The boy war adorable – and still too much of a Will-look-alike. „No. Well yes. But you had your reasons running around like a chicken with its head cut off, right?" A small smile played around the lips of the boy before it died down again. „I'm still sorry for the cake. If you could tell me, where I am, I can call home and..." He fell silent again as if he just noticed that 'home' maybe wasn't home any longer. Magnus knew that feeling too well to ignore it. „Forget the cake. Will doesn't like cake anyway and it was a poor birthday present. I actually forgot his birthday and that was all I could come up with. Stupid me."  
Putting his mobile back into his pocket he turned fully to the other boy. „I'm Magnus Bane. Magnificent in everything but remembering birthdays and shopping for the people close to me." Extending his right hand he waited for the other boy to take it. „I-I'm Gi.. Alec." „Alec. Alec who?" Smiling a little at the bigger hand grasped in his own.

„Just Alec, now."


	2. 2 - Meeting the parents

Sitting on a couch in a comfortable looking loft, Alec was waiting for Magnus to come back with two mugs of tea. The raven haired teenager was chatting amiably in the open kitchen, talking about Will – Magnus' guardian for all Alec had heard about the man – and another person called Jem who Alec knew nothing about but that he was the total opposite of Will and a doctor in one of the smaller hospitals in New York. Curently the boys where in Brooklyn - "You've never heard of Brooklyn?! It's the best place in whole New York City!" - waiting for said Will and Jem to come home. After helping Alec to his feet, they soon found out that, yes, the younger teen has done 'something' to his arm or hand or both and that he should not move it in any way. As you can imagine, driving home in the subway had never been so much fun.

Magnus set the tea tray down on the small coffee table in front of the comfortable couch. 

"There is nothing better to drink while having a mature conversation but tea." 

Magnus was silently purring tea into the cups adding some milk into his own cup. He handed one cup to the smaller teen and sat down next to him. Taking a sip and letting it warm him from the inside, he waited for Alec to do the same. 

"So 'Just Alec', what to do with you?" 

Said boy was swallowing his mouthful of tea setting his cup on the saucer. 

"I should probably go back." 

Magnus shot him a look. "Go? Go where exactely, Alec?" 

Bitting his lip the younger teen went silent. "I... Home, I suppose." 

Magnus was nodding silently drinking more tea. "You should drink. Nothing tastes worse than cold tea." 

Blinking in surprise, Alec took his cup and drank some more of the hot liquid. "What blend is that?"   
"Our own. Every day a little different."   
"It's delicious."

Not soon after the pot of tea was gone and a short game of "20 questions" Magnus heard the door to the loft open. Alec stiffened on the couch next to him, looking worried to the foyer. A man in his twenties with short blonde (gray?) hair walked into the room carrying a small brown bag with, what Alec pressumed, food. Magnus stood up to get the bag from him and to put it away in the kitchen. Alec didn't know what to do. He sat there watching his friend talking to the older man – was that Jem or Will? - while Magnus sorted the different cans and bags and bottles away to their right place without looking. He turned around to look out of the huge windows not wanting to interrupt the "family time". Clearly he still missed his siblings and mother and he supposed his father as well. But he couldn't afford to think about them any longer. When he was still there, every major decision was made by them all as a whole family. That meant that his mother and his siblings as well as his father had decided that he had to go. Closing his eyes forcefully he tried to stop the tears that were certain to fall.

A soft hand landing on the top of his head brought him back to the here and now. Opening his eyes and looking up he saw the older man kneeling in front of him. A small smile was playing on his lips as he pried Alec's arm away from his middle unwrapping the gauze. 

"You learnt well, Magnus."   
A sound between a snort and a laugh was all he got as an answer. Lightly touching the swollen area around the wrist, the older man 'hmm'd watching Alec for any reaction.   
"I don't think it is broken. But to be sure, I should take you with me tomorrow."   
He tied the gauze around the wrist again, standing up. "Do you like Chicken Curry, Alec?" Perplexed the blue eyed boy was nodding.   
"Good. As you can't cut anything with your hand, you will help stirring the rice." 

Nodding again the younger teen stood up as well and followed the older man to the kitchen area where Magnus was already cutting various vegetables in small cubes.

"Is that Will's favourite?" Looking up at Alec's question, Magnus blanched.   
"Pardon?" The older man, whose hair was definitely gray and not blonde, turned around with a high pot to cook the rice in.   
"I... Magnus said it was Will's birthday and I thought... maybe it was his favourite?" 

Blinking at Alec and looking from one teen to the other, Jem tried to process Alec's question.   
"William's birthday is a week from now."   
Arching an eyebrow and not looking what he was doing, Magnus stared at the gray haired man.   
"But my phone memo told me it was today." 

Suddenly the older teen screamed and let the knife fall down to the floor holding his hand to his chest. Jem rushed over and pried the arm away from the younger male – as he done so with Alec – inspecting it.   
"Come on. It is nothing serious."   
Magnus held his hand under cold water while Jem went to the bathroom to get some dressing material. Alec walked over to Magnus to see what had happened just now. He got the knife from the floor lying it into the sink where the water was still flowing freeling down the drain.   
"Is it bad? How much is missing?"   
Nibbling on his bottom lip, Alec took a closer look. "I don't know. I can't see anything missing. Just some chipped paint on your nail. It is bleeding rather heavily."   
After Alec's statement the older teen had to fight to remain standing.

Just at this moment the flat's last resident choose to arrive. "You shouldn't tell this little drama queen here, that something's bleeding. He can't see blood."   
Alec was met with the sight of a man in his late twenties who looked exactely like him – maybe his eyes were darker but that could have been the light in the kitchen.   
"Drama queen? Just for your information, mister, I could have lost my finger here. And maybe I will, as Jem is taking pretty long to fetch some band aid from the bathroom. Maybe we should drive to the ER? Just to be sure? Oh my poor finger and I had applied the polish just today."   
Walking over to Magnus, Will turned off the water and got some paper towel from the roll beside the sink and wrapped it around Magnus' finger.   
"Now be a good boy and walk over there and sit down." Pouting the older teen did as he was told, wobbling to the couch and letting himself fall down into the cushions.   
"There is nothing wrong with your leg!"   
"There could as well be!"

Sighing the black haired man turned around to Alec who was still gaping at him – total opposites, there was never a description as true as this. "So, Alexander, right?"   
"Just Alec."   
"Just Alec, then. What were you doing while this little demon cut his finger?"   
The younger male looked around the kitchen. "We were making dinner, I suppose." 

Will nodded at that and got an apron from a cabinet standing closest to the sink. "And Jem informed me that your birthday is not today."   
"Why would you think, my birthday was today, Maggie?" What Magnus couldn't see was that Will was smirking while questioning the teen.   
"Oh don't be so innocent all of the sudden. I know that you changed the date in my phone memo. You know that I can't very well remember every birthday and anniversary there is. Hence the memo. But no. Mr High and Mighty FBI Agent has to play a trick on me, the poor school-ridden boy from Brooklyn, so that I take the subway to Manhattan just to buy a cake. And stop calling me Maggie."

Huffing Magnus slumped further into the cushions playing with the paper towel around his hand.   
"For someone who has just lost a part of his finger you're able to argue pretty loudly." Jem walked into the living room area holding a package of band aids in one hand. Still pouting Magnus looked up at the other man.   
"And where were you? Did you have to produce the band aid on your own?"   
"Oh stop sulking, Magnus."   
Sitting next to the teen, Jem got the paper towel off Magnus' hand and took a look at the finger. "Nothing is missing from your oh so pretty finger. There is just a small cut on the side that was bleeding but it is nearly closed now." He lay the hand on his thigh an put a band aid around it. "Should I kiss it better?" Rolling his eyes Magnus stood up and walked back into the kitchen taking the paper towel to the garbage bin.

Getting back to cutting the vegetables Magnus missed the worried look Will gave Jem as the gray haired man put the package of band aids into one of the hanging cabinets. Shaking his head slowly, Jem took the pot from where he had put it and got the rice from the pantry.   
"Have you ever cooked rice, Alec?"   
The younger male having watched the interaction between the adults, shook his head. Jem took a cup out from one of the other cabinets and put it on the counter.   
"1 cup of rice and 2 cups of water. We are 4 people, so we need 2 cups of rice. Can you do that for me?" Alec nodded and got to work. Soon the rice was washed – with the help of Will – and put on the stove with another pot for the chicken curry.

The smell of different spicery was filling the air while Alec stirred the rice every few minutes. When he was still living with his the people he had called family he wasn't called to help in the kitchen. Normally Maryse – that would be his mother – cooked for the whole family and called them to set the table, Shortly before it was done, Robert – his father – would come home and they all would sit around the table and talk about their day. At the last family dinner Alec had been very quiet and brooding. Just before dessert he had decided to talk to his father when they were done eating together. Robert had listened to him, nodded his head and talked to him as if they were equals. Two days later Alec was told in the middle of the night to pack and get into the car.

"I think the rice is done. Thank you, Alec."   
Jem got the wooden spoon from the teen's hand and put off the stove. He poured the water in the sink and put the rice in a small bowl waiting on the counter. Feeling a bit overwhelmed with the way the younger male was watching their every move, Jem gestured for Magnus to take Alec with him to set the table.   
"Come on, Alec. These old men can handle the rest." The older teen got some plates and cutlery from around the kitchen and together they set the big table behind the small wall seperating the dining from the sitting area.   
"How do they know my name?" Looking up from placing water glasses on the table, Magnus arched an eyebrow. "They were calling me Alec from the moment they walked into the loft."  
Magnus nodded at the younger teen's words. "And Jem knew my arm was hurt and he couldn't have seen it from where he was standing." Again Magnus nodded. 

"Well obviously I send them both a message saying my friend 'Alec' was staying over for a bit."   
"And they just let you?"   
"Obviously."   
"And they don't mind me staying here, without so much as a background story?"   
"Obviously."   
"Are you going all Severus Snape on me?"   
"Obviously."   
Grinning like the loon he was, Magnus put the last knives on the table.   
"At ho... With my... Before. I couldn't just bring anyone home without the name and phone number of their parents. Before they didn't do a thorough background check to ensure that my friend wouldn't put me off my books, I wans't even allowed at my friend's place."   
Magnus looked thoughtful before answering. "Do you trust me, Alec?"   
"I... I think so."   
"Then trust them. Trust Will and Jem. They helped me through a really rough time not so long ago and I know they will help you. Without so much of a questioning glance at you or your past." Alec couldn't do anything else but nod at what was the older teen was saying. "For all I know, those two are my parents and I'm glad I have them."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Cassandra Clare thought of the wonderful world of the mortal instruments and infernal devices. I just play with the characters and change a bit of their life.


	3. 3 - Family is where your heart is

Never before had Alec enjoined a game of Scrabbles more. Normally he was annoyed by his siblings because they just could not play with the much needed sincerity. Inventing new words with every turn they took, the game soon became a war of "who gets to look it up in the dictionary". Now he was sitting in front of the coffee table looking at the letters he had gotten while Magnus was looking from his letters to the board nibbling on the thumb of his uninjured hand. He sighed, changed his mind again and again. William – he was a FBI Agent in the making as Alec had learned during dinner – was tapping his hand on his arm and Jem – James actually – was smiling serenely at the board waiting for Magnus' next move. The older teen sighed again and got the velvet pouch from the table and put some of his letters inside taking out new ones. "Really, Magnus? You needed about 10 minutes before you finally decided that the letters given to you weren't to your liking?" Will was smirking at the teen who was scowling back at the black-haired man. "William, don't be like that." Jem was – obviously – the more mature one who tried to mediate between the two dominant personalities.

Alec was next in line. He nibbled at his bottom lip laying his letters on the board forming the word 'graceful' with the ones already there. "See, Magnus. That is how you do it. You think while the others are playing and then you get new letters playing the next round." Will nodded to Alec who blushed in turn stealing a glance at Magnus. The older teen was scowling deeply at his guardian. Jem touched Will's arm in a warning and at the same time comforting gesture. "William. It is your turn and I hope you are as fast as Alec with the letters you call your own." "Where you looking at my letters again, James?" "Don't be stupid. Of course I was." Now scowling at his partner, the raven haired man took the pouch of letters and changed his own to new ones. "See. I was way faster than Magnus with my decision." "That may be, but I can assure you that I could have laid at least two words with the letters you had." "Oh, really? Let me see what you have there, Mr Carstairs." Will crossed his arms over his chest, waiting for Jem's move. The gray-haired man lay his letters on the board, getting extra points for using all of them. Magnus smirked at Will who was frowning at his partner.

Jem meanwhile was looking up at the clock hanging over the dinning table. "It is already late and you, Magnus, have school tomorrow." Said teen was now frowning at the older man. "I'm 16 not 6, Jem. I know when to go to bed so that I will not oversleep tomorrow." Jem was giving Magnus a look conveying what he was thinking about the teen's statement and the raven haired boy got up and walked over to the bathroom connected to his bedroom. "Alec? Help me put away the board?" The boy nodded and helped Jem filling the letters into the pouch. "William? Why don't you get the spare bed and spare sheets ready in Magnus' room?" Without even commenting on the other's words, the dark-haired man left the living room down the hall.

"For as long Magnus and William are occupied, I would like to talk to you." Putting the board into the box and the pouch with the letters above, Jem closed the box and put it back into the cupboard where it came from. "Magnus didn't tell us much. I don't think he knows much himself. About you and about what has happened to you. But I think he has theories and I think he fears what may have happened to you." James gestured to the couch for Alec to sit on. He got two bottles of water from the fridge setting them on the coffee table. "Our household is unique on its own. We all came together by strokes of fate. William and I have been friends before we became partners. What has happened is in the past and if, when, one of us wants to tell you he will. We decided to offer you the same treatment. But as a doctor I need to know one thing." Alec was swallowing hard and nodded his head. "Where you in any way touched inappropriately by an adult where ever you have been before you ran into Magnus?" Slowly the teen shook his head. He knew what Jem was referring to and he was glad that he hadn't met that fate. "Good. Would it be alright if I checked more than your arm tomorrow?" Alec took one sip from the water bottle and nodded.  
Jem sighed and pulled Alec into his arms who stiffened at the unfamiliar touch of the older man. The gray-haired man pulled away quickly. "Oh I'm sorry, Alec. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable." "No. It's just that I haven't been hugged in a very long time." Ruffling the younger male's head – and getting a scowl in return – Jem stood up and walked over to the hall closet to get some fresh linens for Alec's bed. "I bet that Will and Magnus are wrestling over the honour to get your bed ready." Suddenly there was a small squeal coming from the bathroom Magnus had walked into. Will came out of Magnus' room rolling his eyes. "You have nothing I haven't seen before and definitely nothing I want to see." Huffing, Will let himself fall into one of the armchairs. "I take it that you put Alec's bed up in Magnus' room?" The dark-haired man snorted and nodded his head. "Yes and while I did so, our drama queen came out of the bathroom – naked – and squealed as he saw me sitting on the bed." Alec blushed lightly at the older man's words.

At this moment Magnus came out of his room in his pyjamas and a dark blush on his face. "You could have warned me that you where in my room. I wouldn't have come out then without at least a towel on. But no, you have to be all stealthy and quiet." Jem was walking past the scowling teen and tapped him on the head. He made his way towards Magnus' bedroom to get the new sheets ready. Magnus sat next to Alec on the couch taking a sip from the younger boy's bottle. "Oh Maggie, be thankful that I put the spare bed close to your bed or else you wouldn't be able to talk to Alec tonight. Well at least I put the spare bed close, I don't know what Jem will be doing while getting the sheets ready." Muttering something about "not calling him Maggie." the older teen stood up and offered his hand to the blue-eyed boy. "Come on, Alec. We don't have to listen to this old man here, talking about things he doesn't understand."

Gaping at Magnus and looking to the smirking Will, who just nodded his head, the boys made their way to the one room they all had refered to as "Magnus' room". Jem was just fluffing the pillow as they entered. Seeing the bedroom for the first time, Alec could not imagine anyone else in this room but Magnus. One wall was covered with ceiling high windows and nearly transparent white curtains and lime green blinds. Two of the other walls were white but covered with posters and picture frames of landscapes – by the look of it from all over the world – and the last wall behind the bed was painted a light greenish-blue colour. The bed itself was an accumulation of colours and shapes. A desk was standing at the other side of the room with a desktop pc and next to it was a bookshelf organised by the colours of the book covers. The open wardrobe took the last place between the door to the bathroom and the other wall. Colourful was the only description of the clothes hanging inside and lying around on the ground in front of the closet. Alec cringed at the bright colours, as they were not an option to wear in his old home. Next to the bed was a small cot with light blue sheets on it – much to Alec's liking.

Jem walked over to the smaller teen handing him a big white t-shirt and dark shorts. "These are an old pair of William. I think they will fit well enough for tonight. Tomorrow we can get you new ones." Thanking the older man, Alec walked over to the bathroom and closed the door behind him. The gray-haired man knocked once on the door to let the teen know which towels he could use. Then he walked over to Magnus pulled him close and gave him a small peck on his forehead before he left the teens to got to sleep.

Alec was enjoying the warm water cascading down his body. It had been a long time that he could shower uninterrupted and without having one of the "teachers" watching him. The soap smelled lightly of Sandalwood. He turned the water off reaching for a towel on the rack drying himself off thoroughly before he put on the clothes he had been given. The t-shirt was much too wide and hanging loose from his shoulders. The Shorts were kept on his hips by a ribbon and pure stubbornness. He dried his hair by towelling it roughly and walked into Magnus' bedroom seeing the other teen already in bed reading one of the many books. He laid down on the spare bed and snuggled into the sheets.

Alec heard the sheets on the older teen's bed rustle as Magnus stretched to put the light off. "You okay over there?"   
"Never better."   
"Want to continue our game from before?" Alec turned on his side looking at Magnus' bed and what he presumed was Magnus in it. The light from outside was not enough to see more than shapes from the things in the room.   
"Who was asking the last question?", the younger teen asked as he got closer to the edge of the bed.   
"Hmm. We established that you like the colour blue and I love everything but black. Your favourite season is autumn while I'm more of a summer person. What else?"   
"You like asian food."   
"Ah, right. And you liked Lasagna. So I have a question: Have you ever been abroad?"   
"Does Canada count?"   
"The french part?"   
"No. Vancouver."   
"Hm. Don't know. Yeah we let that one count."   
"What about you?"   
"I have been to Indonesia, England and France before coming here."   
"That's awesome. I wish I could have traveled around."   
"Maybe we will. William is from England - London to be exact. Normally he visits the city every two or three years, the last time we three went together."   
"I don't think I will be able to come."   
"Why not?" Laying on his back the younger teen looked at the ceiling.   
"Because I clearly don't have the money and I'm not old enough to work and I don't have a passport." A small snort was heard from the bed not far from him.   
"Money and passport are not a matter. Trust me. Jem had to go to China once for some family business or other and it was on a short notice like over night. Will pulled some strings and the next day Jem was flying to China with an over night visa and there is no over night visa for americans to China."   
"I still would feel bad."   
"Don't be. It's not illegal to apply for financial help for raising a child and it is definitely not illegal to take money offered to you out of obligation." The way Magnus said that made Alec think about what Jem had told him about their little family.  
"So: train or car or bus?"   
"What?"   
"What kind of vehicle would you prefer when travelling?"   
"I don't know. We were always driving by car. Anywhere. But I always wanted to go by train somewhere. Like in Harry Potter. That would be nice."   
"You're a Potterhead as bad as they come."   
"As if you would be any better." Turning around, he thought about the countless hours spent inside his room reading and re-reading the novels. He was glad that he was able to read the end before he was brought to New York. The sheets of the other bed rustled and suddenly there was a shadow standing in front of his cot.   
"Are you crying?", affronted the younger teen looked up at the older boy.   
"No, why would I be?"   
"Because I made fun of you."   
"That's no reason to cry and mature boys don't cry anyway." Sitting down on the smaller teen's bed Magnus reached over and laid a hand on Alec' shoulder.   
"Crying is good for your soul. Especially if you have gone through something traumatic."   
Watching the older teen Alec wanted to ask what Magnus would know about "going through something traumatic" but he felt that he didn't have the right to ask him that.   
"Family is where your heart is and we - Jem, Will and me - are very good at being a family without any kind of blood ties." He laid down next to the smaller teen. "And I think you would fit perfectly inside."


	4. 4 - Warm hands

The sound of heavy knocking woke Alec up. He tried to stretch under the comfortable blanket but two arms wrapped around his middle prevented that. Opening his eyes he was greeted with the sight of a mop of black hair.

"Magnus! Wake up and get ready or you won't have the time to get glitter everywhere." Stirring from Will's voice, the older teen snuggled even closer to Alec.

"M up. Just 5 more minutes." He sighed and pressed his nose into Alec's neck. This woke him up, letting go immediately. Alec was blushing heavily.

Will used this moment to burst into their room. "Magnus! Stand up now or you won't have time for any make up."

This made the older teen move towards his wardrobe nearly tripping over the sheets wrapped around his body. He collected some clothes which – to Alec – looked like they consisted of every colour Magnus owned. The door to the bathroom closed and soon the sound of water running could be heard.

"You can use Jem and mine bathroom if you want. We are already done and we like to breakfast together so it would be nice if you were ready in about 10 minutes." Alec nodded but hesitated to leave the bed. "Yes. I'll just get dressed in my clothes and be out in a minute."

Will was eyeing the younger teen, 'hmmm'd and walked over to Magnus' closet. After rummaging around he threw a pair of dark jeans and an old sweater of Magnus at Alec. "You can wear these. Magnus doesn't like them anyway." Turning around and walking to the door, he added "But you have to wear your underwear from yesterday as we definitely don't have anything fitting in that department." He let the door open for Alec to follow him.

The younger teen got out of bed and walked after the dark-haired man. Will gestured to a door at the end of the hall. The younger male nodded in thanks and walked inside the bathroom. It was bigger and he could see the influence of the two older men. "You can use the towels lying on the counter and there is a toothbrush for you. You've got 7 minutes left." With those words Will closed the door and left Alec to his morning routine. With 30 seconds to spare the dark-haired teen walked into the living room/dinning area greeting Jem who was pouring coffee into two mugs on the table. Sitting in the chair he had occupied the evening before, he looked around the table. Will was already sitting there reading the paper while he waited for his coffee. Jem sat down at the table and passed the coffee over to Will.

The gray-haired man poured some orange juice into his glass and offered some to Alec as well. The young teen couldn't decide what he should eat. Fresh rolls and bread, scrambled eggs and bacon and fruit was waiting to be devoured. As he reached for the fresh rolls and butter, Magnus came running into the dinning area, letting himself fall onto his chair.  
"You're 2 minutes and 17 seconds late, Magnus."

Will folded his paper in the middle lying it next to him on the table. The older teen – as mature as he was – poked his tongue out to the older man.  
"I'm punctual enough as I'm still able to breakfast while Jem is still here and I don't have to rush out of the door."

He got some scrambled eggs and bacon on his plate and poured himself a glass of orange juice.

Alec was eating slowly as he hadn't a full breakfast for some time. His stomach was still protesting from the dinner the night before. He was so immersed in his thought that Jem startled him by setting a cup of tea in front of him.

"It's peppermint tea. It helps with stomach ache."

"Thank you." Sipping slowly he felt the soothing effect of the liquid. A soft warm hand landed on his forehead.

"No fever. So no infection. But we will check that later on."

Jem looked up at the clock above the table and turned to the older teen. "Magnus. Shouldn't you get ready to go?"

Drinking the last of his juice, the older teen stood up and walked into his room getting his school bag. James got up as well and together they walked out of the door with a "See you later!" from Magnus to leave Will and Alec to their own devices.

The older man got up from his seat and started to clean the table. As Alec didn't know what was expected of him, he helped Will carry the breakfast dishes to the sink. The dark-haired man let some water flowing into the sink adding some dishwater soap and cleaned their plates and mugs while Alec waited with dishcloth to dry what was already washed. They worked in silence, cleaning the dishes, wiping the table and setting everything back into place. The shrill ring of a telephone broke the silence. Will walked over to a small table standing in the entrance hall answering the phone.

"Yes? - Okay. We will be coming over. - No everything is fine. - I'm always nice. - What do you mean that's the problem. - Yeah yeah. Love you, too."  
With that the dark-haired man hung up and fixed his gaze on the younger teen. "That was Jem. He said that it's a "boring day" and that we should come over. Get your shoes on, I think I have somewhere a jacket that may fit you."

Twenty minutes later they were arriving at a small hospital with light blue painted outer walls that looked more like it belonged somewhere far away from New York and the hectic traffic surrounding it. They entered through the sliding doors walking the short way to the front desk were a young woman was smiling at them.

"Hello William. Jem is waiting for you and your cousin upstairs. You can walk right through."  
"Thank you, Cat." Will guided Alec to the stairs.  
"Cousin?"  
"Hm?"  
"The lady called me your 'cousin'."  
"Oh, yes, well we had to tell them something. And I wouldn't call Cat a 'lady'. Not to her face anyway."

The teen nodded and walked behind the older man until they reached the top floor. Jem was already waiting in front of one of the many doors. He gestured for them to follow him. Alec swallowed hard. It hadn't been so long ago that a "doctor" had examined him - mostly pressing around on his belly and feeling his throat and looking at his eyes and teeth.  
The room they walked into seemed to be a small examining room for children going by the toys in on of the corners. A desk was sitting under the window where Alec could see a small park. James sat down in front of the desk, opening a programme on the desktop PC.

"Let's fill out the essentials and then we move over to the examining part."

He clicked on one of the many symbols opening an empty data sheet. Looking over the shoulder of the older man, Alec saw that there was already written a name in the upper left corner.

"Herondale, Alexander M.?" Jem looked over his shoulder.  
"Yes. As I had to book an appointment, I decided to go with Will's name. And as you look-alike, I thought it was fitting." He turned back around. "Of course you are younger, cuter and better behaved than your counterpart over there, but I still think we should go with Herondale."

Ignoring the 'Hej!' coming from Will who was leaning against the closed-door, the gray-haired man concentrated on the screen in front of himself.

"Back to the essentials. Date of birth?"  
"September 19, 1992."  
"Oh so your birthday is in two weeks time. Magnus will love to host your party."

Blinking at the words from the doctor, Alec thought back. He had been still on holiday when he was brought to the Institute. There hadn't been regular school times, they were all tought in the morning hours until two or three in the afternoon and then brought back to their rooms – and that every day of the week. Sometimes they had late afternoon 'health classes' where they were tought a lot about STDs and the use of condoms.

"And I just won 20 bucks from our drama queen." Blinking again the teenager turned around to Will. The dark-haired man was grinning.  
"You shouldn't wager with him and don't call him 'drama queen' all the time. You know how he despises that. And what were betting on anyway?"

The grin spread over the older man's whole face. "Little Magnus bet that Alexander here is 13 at the most, I told him that he is at least 14, more like 15, waiting for his next growth spurt. And as he is 14, being 15 in two weeks time, I won. Maybe I will change the wager from money to chores. The floor needs to be mopped again."  
Sighing and murmuring 'no wonder I'm turning gray before my years.' Jem turned back to the screen.

"Do you know your blood type?"  
"No."  
"Okay. Any illnesses or allergies you know of?"  
"No."  
"Broken bones, sprains?"  
"I broke my left leg once when I fell from a tree branch."

Nodding the older man typed that in the computer, adding the injury on his wrist. Then he turned fully around and looked at his partner.

"Will, take Alec's jacket and wait outside, okay?" The dark-haired man nodded, took the jacket from the teen and left the room.

Jem took Alec's hands in his. The teen noted again how warm and soft the doctor's hands felt.

"I'd like to tell you what I would like to do now." Silvery gray eyes locked with his and Alec nodded slowly. "We will measure you and weigh you. Then I will examine you: Listening to your lungs, your heart, feeling your inner organs, maybe do an ultrasonic if I'm not sure if everything is okay." He looked deep into the teen's eyes.  
"I need you to change into a hospital gown for that. Is that okay with you." Alec swallowed an nodded once. "I need to take a blood sample as well. Are you afraid of needles?" The teen shook his head bitting his lower lip. "Good. There is a hospital gown behind the screen. You can leave your boxers on." James left the room for Alec to change into the gown. When the teen was down he sat on the examination table and waited for the older man to come back inside.

The doctor knocked on the door before coming inside. He gestured for Alec to get over to the measuring tape hanging on the wall. "4 ft 10 in. A bit small for your age but a healthy diet and some help from us can get you the growth spurt Will was talking about. Step on the scale, please."

The teen did as he was told, waiting for the scale to stop rotating. He always had been skinny but he knew he had lost weight over the last weeks and the healthy dinner from last night and the breakfast from this morning wouldn't help to get a healthy response. "83.78 lbs. Another 15 lbs would be good for your health." Jem walked over to the computer filling the data into the examination sheet.

"Hop on the table, please." Knowing what was to come now, Alec took a deep breath letting it out slowly.

The examination table was rather cold under the thin material of his underwear. Jem walked over to him, stethoscope in head, warming it up with by breathing at it and rubbing it in one hand. After listening to the teens lungs and heart and taking his pulse, the gray-haired man told the teen to lie down. He got a small fleece blanket from the toy box and lay it over the teen's legs. Lifting the gown carefully to Alec's chest, he pressed on the teen's belly waiting for a reaction. Getting none and feeling nothing unusual the older man pulled the gown down again. He walked back over to the PC typing in the last results, saving and closing the file. "You can get dressed again." With those words the doctor stepped outside.  
The dark-haired teen got dressed slowly. Mulling over what the examination may have brought forward, he pulled the sweater over his head. As he did so, somebody knocked on the door and entered without waiting for an answer. It was Cat with a brown kidney basin and some tubes lying inside. Behind her Jem and Will got inside as well. Taking the desk chair and gesturing for the teen to hop back onto the examination table, Cat made quick work taking Alec's blood sample. Her hands weren't as warm as Jem's and they made him shiver a bit. With a pat on the teen's head and a smile she left the room closing the door behind her.

Jem took Cat's place on the chair in front of Alec while Will leaned against the desk, popping one of the candies from the bowl on Jem's desk into his mouth. "Before we go to get your arm x-rayed, I would like to speak to you about the results of the examination."

Nodding, Alec waited for the doctor to continue. Jem rolled over to his desk, poking Will into his thigh to get him to move over. The gray-haired man started the programme again and opened Alec's file. He clicked an icon and the printer in the corner of the desk started to work. Getting the paper from the printer, the doctor rolled back over to Alec and sat beside him on the examination table to show him the results.

"Apparently you are a bit short, but most boys have growth spurts between 14 to 18 and from your physics I can see that you won't stay this small for very long. Your weight may show in the category "normal weight" but you are close to being underweight. As I already told you, a healthy diet will help you grow and put on some weight. Your organs are as healthy as expected. Soothing tea should help with the heartburn. Do you have any questions so far?"  
Alec shook his head. He was glad that the weeks at the Institute have not left any more permanent scars. "Then let's go to get that arm of yours checked out." The older man got down from the table and waited for Alec to do the same before they walked outside to get the teen's arm x-rayed.

* * *

The feeling of warm fingers probing his eyelid made Alec groan. He opened his eyes to see Jem standing above him with a small flash light in his hand.  
"There you are again."

The older man sighed and slumped down in a blue plastic chair standing next to a hospital bed. Comprehending that he was indeed lying on a hospital bed, he slowly sat up and saw a tube attached to his arm where an infusion was dripping a yellowish liquid into his veins.

"What happened?" Looking sceptical at the teen the older man sat up slowly.  
"What do you remember?"  
"We were walking to the x-ray department. Will was handing me some candy from your bowl. Then everything went black and now I wake up here. What is that yellow stuff?"  
The doctor cocked his head. "It's a vitamin infusion as you seem to be short of them. At first I thought you were given some kind of drugs that is why we made a blood test but it came back clear just stating you have a slight shortage of vitamins and iron deficiency anemia. But we can handle that pretty well."

Sighing the older man stood up and sat next to Alec on the bed. "May I hug you?"  
Stunned by the question the teen nodded shortly. Jem took him into his arms holding him close for several minutes. Just then the door opened.

"A group hug? I want one, too." Looking over the gray-haired man's shoulder, Alec blushed heavily. Standing in the doorway were Will and Magnus, the later who still had his backpack slung over his shoulder and grinned at the sight before him. Jem turned around scowling.  
"Don't be so mean, Magnus. Everybody needs a hug sometimes and you had yours not half an hour ago."  
"But you give the best, Jem."

The older teen walked over and sat beside the younger teen and his guardian. Pouting slightly, which earned him a eye-roll from Jem, he got closer to them until he was nearly sitting on Alec's lap. Huffing the gray-haired man let the younger teen go, turned around and hugged both teens, provoking a squeal from Magnus and an 'uff' from Alec. Some moments later the older man let the teens go and stood up to sit on the plastic chair while Will stood behind his partner and rubbed his shoulders affectionately.  
Blushing and looking down Alec saw that around Magnus' finger, which he had cut into the night before, was a splint and bandage.

"What happened to your finger?"The older teen leaned his head against Alec's and looked down as well.  
"May have done something during PE."  
"PE? Never imagined you to play soccer, football or anything dangerous."  
Will snorted what earned him a glare from Magnus and a soft 'Don't stop.' from Jem as the dark-haired man had stopped with his massage.  
"I may have broken my finger while playing volleyball – for the first time in two years I might add – and because of an overenthusiastic girl who may or may not want to become a professional volleyball player."  
Alec couldn't help himself but giggle at the blunt way Magnus was describing his accident.

"You will still have to mop the floors."  
"But my finger."  
"Your finger can be wrapped into a plastic bag so it won't get wet."  
"Jem, Will is mean to meeeee... I'm injured and all he can think about are his dirty floors."

Sighing the gray-haired man looked at his charge and then at his partner. "Could you please wait with your argument until we're home? I have a head ache forming and I think Alec has better things to do than hear you argue over something as trivial as this."  
Will pecked his partner on the head and rubbed his temples in a soothing gesture. "Hmmm. That's better. Why don't you two get the car while I get Alec discharged from here and on our way home we buy some take out."

Agreeing with the doctor, the older teen got down from the bed and walked with Will out of the room. Jem sat on Alec's bed again feeling his forehead. The teen leaned into the touch closing his eyes.  
"How are you feeling?"  
"Warm."  
"Too warm?"  
"Comfortable warm."  
"That is all I'm asking for."


	5. 5 - What feels natural, is natural

Alec woke up in the middle of the night. He had gone to bed very early. After eating two slices of pizza he was sated and the warmth made him feel sleepy. Taking Jem's advice he soon changed into his new pyjamas – brought by Will while Alec was unconscious at the hospital – and snuggled into the sheets. He had been so tired that he hadn't heard Magnus while the older teen was rummaging around in his room and kept on swearing as he couldn't find the essay that was due the next day. Now the older teen was snoring softly in his bed and going by the lump, he was sleeping in an uncomfortable position – at least for Alec.

The younger teen stood up and made his way to the door, careful not to wake the other boy by tripping over some clothes lying on the floor. He opened the door slowly and walked into the kitchen to get a glass of water for his dry throat. He was about to take a sip from his glass when he heard a noise. He couldn't place it and was about to chalk it up to his imagination and the darkness around the loft. The teen took a long sip from his glass putting it into the sink as it was empty. Alec made his way back towards his and Magnus' room as he heard the noise again – this time a bit louder. He bit his lip and stood still. He hadn't imagined it. The young man stood still listening into the silent night. There it was again. It sounded like panting or really loud breathing – he just couldn't place it. Waiting for the noise to come again and placing it coming from the other end of the loft, he turned around and made his way in that direction. He just knew that there were Jem and Will's bedroom and bathroom, their home office and a small linen cabinet. Swallowing the teen walked along the floor trying to make as little noise as possible.

As he walked on, the noise got louder and more frequent. Light was spilling from Jem and Will's bedroom as the door stood ajar. He leaned forward trying to look through the small crack. He gasped, tumbled over his own feet as he wanted to make his way back to his bed and landed on the floor. He closed his eyes trying to forget what he had just seen. Jem sitting on Will. Moving slowly up and down, his back glistening in the light. His head was thrown back showing of his neck adored with purple love bites. He was moaning softly while Will held him by his hips leaving marks with his fingers. The dark-haired man had his eyes half-opened and fixed on his partner. Alec shook his head and stood up. Not caring if he made enough noise to wake up the whole house or if Jem and Will heard him, he ran back to his room.  
He made his way to the bathroom closing and locking the door behind himself. He felt so stupid. He knew that Jem and Will were partner, that they were sleeping together and somewhere in the back of his mind it was clear to him that they – like every couple – would be intimate and sleep with each other. He sighed and slid to the floor until his back was pressed against the door with his legs drawn to his chest. Moments later he heard a commotion in Magnus' bedroom.

"What the hell? Will! Put that out! It can't be time to wake up." He heard the rustling of sheets imagining the older teen turning around to face his guardian. "Holly shit! Put some damn clothes on! You will scare Alec!"

"I think we already managed that.", the older man roared shutting the younger male up.  
A soft knock came from somewhere above his head.  
"Alec? Alexander? Please open the door."

Taking a deep breath the teen turned around. Sooner or later he would have to face the older men as he wanted to stay living with them. He unlocked the door and moved over to the bathtub sitting on its edge, waiting. As soon as he sat down, the door opened. Jem walked inside closing the bathroom door behind himself leaning against it. His face was flushed – Alec didn't know if he was embarrassed or if it was from the "exercise". Blushing at his own thought the dark-haired teen looked down at his feet.

"I'm sorry for looking?", he mumbled to his feet.  
"Oh Alec." Jem was laughing, looking fondly at the teen. He walked over and sat beside the teen careful that nothing was revealed through his bathrobe.  
"What did you see?" Alec looked up at the older man noting that he was still flushed, nibbling at his bottom lip.  
"I... Well you and Will... were doing... it."  
"That is one way to put it."  
The gray-haired man cleared his throat. "William and I have been together for many years. We have known each other longer than that. We are partners. Some would they we are lovers. But for me – what we have – is so much deeper than love. We trust each other fully. We would never hurt the other because we know exactly what would hurt the other the most." He laid his hand on Alec's that was resting between them. "One day, I hope you will be lucky enough to feel something similar with your partner."  
"I... I'm gay."  
"I know." The older man slung his arm around the teen's waist and pulled him close. "That clearly doesn't worsen your chances." He pecked the teen on the crown of his head and let him go.  
"Do you think you can go to sleep now?"  
"No."  
"How about some hot chocolate or a cuppa?"  
"Cuppa?"  
"Oh sometimes I forget that you had seldom contact to British citizens – former or not. A cuppa is simply a cup of tea."  
"A cuppa, please."

Jem opened the door to Magnus' bedroom finding it empty. They made their way to the living room where Magnus was siting on the couch with a cup of tea in hands trying very hard not to look at Jem or Will – the later who had pyjama pants on and was busy pouring more tea in two cups. The older teen's face was flushed and it was definitely not from the hot tea. Alec sat beside Magnus on the couch and thanked Will for the offered tea.

"Magnus? Is everything alright? Should I fetch the thermometer?" Reaching over to feel the teen's forehead, all Jem got was a 'squee' and an obviously embarrassed Magnus who was skirting back on the couch. "Magnus?"  
"Oh let him be." Will sat on the arm rest of Jem's armchair sipping his tea smirking into his cup.  
"What did you do, William?" Setting his cup on the saucer the dark-haired man turned a bit to his partner.  
"He was asking what "all the fuss was about" and "why the hell was I walking around naked". As I'm always honest to my lovely charge I told him that Alec had seen us having sex." Said teen blushed to the roots of his hair hiding behind his own cup of tea.  
"William!"  
"What? It's not like he hasn't done it himself. You and I know that Magnus is no virgin." Silence descended upon the room. The older teen pressed his lips together until they turned white. He put his cup of tea on the coffee table and walked into his room closing the door forcefully.  
"William was that really necessary?" The dark-haired man rubbed his hand over his face.  
"No, of course not." He sighed and followed the path of the older teen.

"William has a fiery temper, so does Magnus. I try to mediate but mostly I let their argument run its course. In the end one or the other has to apology." Alec nodded at the gray-haired man's words having seen an argument for himself on his very first day in the loft.

"How... May I asked how Will became Magnus' guardian? I know it is rather personal."  
"Will and Magnus are related through Magnus' biological father."  
"So it's family business?"  
"Not really. Will was fighting to take custody of Magnus and not let him live any longer with Magnus' father. It wasn't good for him. He was never safe there." Taking the last sip of his tea, Jem took the cups from the table and put them into the sink. "Do you think you can sleep now?"  
"I think so."  
"Good. Then you should go to bed. We will wake you in the morning." The gray-haired man was still looking contemplative at the dishes in the sink. Sighing the teen walked to his room.

Will was sitting on Magnus' bed murmuring to the other teen who had his back to his guardian. Looking up at Alec who was watching them from the door way, the dark-haired man rubbed Magnus' back and stood up. He walked by Alec ruffling the teen's hair and wished them a 'Good Night'.

The younger teen slipped between the covers snuggling into the sheets. Magnus stretched up and put the light out. It was nearing 3 am in the morning. Sighing Alec turned on his back looking at the ceiling.

"You really saw them doing the deed?" The younger teen blushed heavily. He was just about to forget this nights' events.  
"Yes." The sheets on Magnus' bed rustled as the older teen turned around to Alec.  
"How much did you see?"  
"Just a glimpse. It was really embarrassing." He bit his bottom lip.  
"I bet it was. No one imagines his parents to be sexually active."  
"I rather prefer to think they are asexual."  
"Even asexuals have sex. Just not as often as others."  
"You're speaking from experience?"  
"Maybe I am." It was meant as a joke but hearing Magnus being so earnest made Alec think. "I'm not asexual if you're thinking about that."

The late night traffic could be heard through the titled window that was letting some fresh air into the room.

"I was 13 and is was with my best friend." Blinking his heavy eyes Alec sat up and looked over at Magnus.

"I had still been living with my father – my biological father – at that time. He wasn't the best influence. My friend – Ragnor – was out of the closet but I still wasn't sure about myself. One evening we were alone at my father's flat. We found a stash of porn behind some books – gay porn of all things. Being 13 we thought that it was a good idea to watch some of it. Well soon we reacted to what we were seeing and we wanted to try it. We started to kiss and touch and soon we wanted more. I knew where my father kept his condoms and one thing let to the other."

Magnus sighed heavily. "Do you regret it?"

Contemplating Alec's question, the older teen took his time to answer.

"Do I regret having done it with my best friend? No. Do I regret it having done it at 13? Yes, sometimes."

The younger teen lay down again. "Will always says that one should do what feels good and natural. Because what feels natural, is natural. And between all the stuff he is saying on a normal basis, that is some of the better advice given by him." Mulling over the words, Alec fell asleep.


	6. 6 - Life is neither fair nor easy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More information on Kyuudou can be found here: wiki / Ky%C5%ABd%C5%8D (just remove the spaces); I'm sorry if I don't get some of the references right, as I have never tried Kyuudou but as I'm familiar with Aikidou I'm taking some parts of our training to weave it into the Kyuudou training.

Alec was breathing slowly thorugh his mouth letting his mind come to rest. Mediating was part of Kyuudou - his new favourite pastime. When he had still been with his parents, being part of a club or learning martial arts was a no-go. Learning an instrument and studying was everything they were allowed to do. Now - at home, with Will, Jem and Magnus – he was allowed to do what he enjoyed. The three encouraged him to find a club where he could practice archery as he had always been fascinated by it. Nearly a month after searching they found the small dojo run by the granddaughter of a former japanese Kyuudou master. There were only 10 other members and they welcomed him with open arms. He had to smile to himself. It has been a prejudice that people from small villages would be open to strangers or people who were different. But here in the middle of one of the biggest cities in the world the people were the most friendly.

Sighing he inhaled through his nose and exhaled through his mouth slowly as he had learned in his first lesson. Two months already in New York and he never wanted to leave. Two months and he was slowly but deliberately falling for his golden eyed friend. He blushed furiously as he thought back to his birthday when Magnus woke him up with a small cupcake in his hand and kissed him on his cheek. For the older teen it was nothing special - or so Alec thought. Magnus loved to flirt with every person who looked in the slightest cute or was a tiny bit attractive. Alec wouldn't put himself in on of the aforementioned categories but Magnus - well Magnus was different.

He sighed again and opened his eyes. It seemed that he wouldn't be able to concentrate enough tonight. He could as well stretch a bit before he changed into his daily clothes and made his way home to the loft. He stretched his arms over his head as there was a commotion in the outer room. He heard his sensei calling to somebody that they should get their shoes off as this was "a dojo and not a f**ing gymnasium where everyone was allowed to do as they please". The sliding door opened to reveal his sensei, Maia, and surprisingly Will. The teenager stopped stretching in mid-air and looked at his guardian. The dark-haired man was on edge - his hair wind-blown and his face in a scowl (that wasn't new to Alec). He was looking around the room until his eyes landed on Alec.

"Alec. Get dressed. We have to leave." Nodding at his guardian the teen made his way to the changing rooms. "No time to shower, Alec."

Frowning at the older man's words, Alec ran into the small room where every one placed their things before training and changed as quickly as possible into his jeans and sweater, throwing his Kyuudou gear into his bag. The dark-haired teen walked out of the room with his bag slung over his shoulder seeing Will still standing with Maia - who was looking thoughtful and a bit sad, touching Will's arm in a gesture of silent comfort.

Alec stopped short. He gulped loudly. He tried to get the whole picture from the little pieces he had gotten so far: Will coming to get him, the older man on edge, urging Alec to hurry. No that couldn't be good. The teenager walked over to his guardian. Having grown a bit over the last two months the top of his head still only reached the top of the older man's shoulder. Will took Alec's bag and they walked silently to the waiting car. He got inside and buckled the belt. He tried to concentrate on breathing so that the forming panic attack wouldn't come. He closed his eyes breathing in and out.

"That's good. Don't stop breathing. I don't need another panic attack on my hands now. One is entirely enough."

Alec could feel Will next to himself. The older man had turned towards the teen and lay his hand on the younger man's head stroking his hair. As he felt calm enough Alec opened his eyes slowly. The motor was buzzing and from the pitter-patter on the roof and windows he guessed that it had started to rain.

"Another panic attack?"

The older man turned back in his seat and engaged the gear. They drove slowly from the parking lot behind the dojo onto the busy streets.

"Jem had a seizure today. When Magnus came home and found him, his pulse was low and his breathing shallow. Magnus didn't know what to do and by the time the EMS was at the loft, Magnus had a panic attack thinking that Jem was dying. They had to take him to the hospital and sedate him."

"Seizure?" Jem was ill? The gray-haired man was so full of life that Alec couldn't imagine him lying still on the ground fighting for his life.  
Will flinched slightly.

"I… We wanted to tell you. I urged Jem to talk to you. That, as you're part of our little family, you should know about his illness. But he wanted you to arrive fully before he even start to mention anything about himself." The dark-haired man scratched his head and sighed heavily while they were waiting for the traffic light to turn green.  
"Jem and I have been friends since High School when Jem moved from Hong Kong to London. I have always been a loner and he was the new guy from that exotic country with silvery gray eyes and, I don't know, it just fit. We were thick as thieves from day one." The older man sighed again overhauling another car.  
"And then four years later there was Tessa. She came from the US and had just lost her mother and her only remaining relative was her brother who was working in London. So she had to move. Jem and I were still the best of friends and I knew that I wasn't solely interested in women or solely in men – that I liked both, had kissed a girl and liked it and had kissed a boy and liked it. Jem on the other hand was more reclusive. I was still his only close friend and I knew he was developing feelings for me. Being 16, I was flattered and liked the idea that my best friend could become my lover. But with Tessa it was different. She was not smitten with my charms. That was when I noticed that I was slowly falling in love with her." The small smile vanished from his lips.

"What I didn't notice was Jem slowly slipping away from me. He was withdrawing from me and from our classmates he was kind of close to. And one day shortly before the school year ended, when we both were 17, he told me that he and his uncle, who he was living with, were moving to New York and that he would finish his schooling there. I was devastated and angry and said some very hurtful things but Jem just smiled, kissed me softly on my lips and walked away." Alec was watching his guardian carefully.

The older man was nibbling on his bottom lip gripping the steering wheel so hard that his knuckles turned white. "I married Tessa as soon as we were out of school. She wanted to study art and literature but I was more interested in 'real work'. So I started training as a police man. Not two months later, Tessa told me she was pregnant. We were young and didn't have much money but we loved each other and for us that was enough." The older man bit his bottom lip drawing blood, licking it away quickly.

"Six months later and she was killed in an accident, our son with her. I was 19, a young widower, never having met the son she carried, and I couldn't stay. The only reasonable decision at that time was to get out of England, to get away from all the memories. I packed my things, sold what I didn't need and asked an old family friend if he knew where to look for a job. He did more than that and I'm still grateful that he got me into the police programme over here."

They turned into the small side road leading to the hospital where Jem was working.

"I made my way through the academy and lower ranks of the police and at 22 I was a detective working in the murder squad. That was when I met Jem again. I didn't recognise him at first. His hair had turned gray and the eyes that had shone so brightly were dull and without life. He had gotten so thin that he was wearing sweaters in the middle of summer."  
They stopped on the parking lot near the entrance of the hospital and the older man turned off the car. He leaned back on his seat closing his eyes.

"We met for coffee and Jem told me that he was studying to become a doctor. We weren't close anymore. I made sure that I had his address and that I would work hard on becoming friends again. It took months until he trusted me enough with his story. He went through some harsh times and it didn't end so well for him. Then one day he didn't come to one of our meetings. I was hurt at first and then I got nervous. I couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong with him. I went to his flat and found him lying on the floor. His lips were turning blue and I couldn't feel a pulse. I called an ambulance and performed mouth-to-mouth until he could be taken to the hospital. I have never been so afraid. I knew that my feelings for him were resurfacing and that I couldn't lose him again. I went to the hospital where one of Jem's mentors was kind enough to inform me of his condition."

Will opened his eyes looking straight at the teen next to him.

"Jem has a tumour inside his brain. It is inoperable and from time to time it triggers a seizure. The medicine he took before he changed to his medication he is taking now, is not only highly addictive but also sucks the colour from your hair and skin. That is why Jem has gray hair and is so pale." The older man reached over and wiped a tear from Alec's cheek.  
"Jem is as healthy and active as he can be. He won't die until I say so and he knows that." Alec laughed out loud but it turned into a sob. He buried his head into his hands letting his tears flow down freely. Will pulled him close and let the teen cry on his shoulder. "Life is neither fair nor easy. We all – Jem, Magnus and I and you as well I think – learned that the hard way. But I think we suffered enough. It is time to live our life to the fullest, society be damned."

* * *

Alec was walking beside Will with his head bent forward to hide his red eyes. He was still sniffling from time to time as they made their way upstairs. The older man had set his face into his customary scowl. They walked through one of the doors leading to one department to another. They stopped in front of the rooms and Will knocked on the door. Cat who they had met when Alec had been examined by Jem, was opening the door and let them in. Magnus was lying on the only bed inside the room sleeping. Even with his eyes closed he looked exhausted.

"Thank you, Cat, for looking after Magnus."  
"No problem, Will. Have you heard anything from James?" The older man shook his head.  
"We have just arrived here and I'm on my way to the ICU to ask Chris for information."  
"Should I wait here with Alec until sleeping beauty awakes?" A small smile tugged at the corners of Will's mouth.  
"Now that Alec is here, you can pack in. I know your shift ended three hours ago." The woman huffed and stood with her hands on her hips.  
"As if I can walk home without further information. I'll go and get something to eat for the boys and then I'll be back, waiting here for you to inform your charges. I'm sure they want to know how their other "daddy" is doing." With those last words Cat was walking by Alec and Will and out of the door, the later who was left speechless.

They walked over to Magnus, Will taking the seat that Cat had just vacated and Alec sitting on the bed beside Magnus' legs. The older man was rubbing his hand over his face.  
"I think it's best when we do as Cat has proposed. I'll go down to the ICU and you and Magnus will wait for me to come back here. You will eat what Cat brings you. She is normally accurate in guessing what someone likes to eat. When Magnus awakes, he will eat as well – don't take a 'no' or an 'I'm not hungry' for an answer. Threaten him that I will force-feat him, if he doesn't do it on his own." Will sighed and stood up, walking out of the room.

"Lie down with me?" Startled the teen looked down and saw sleepy golden eyes directed at him.  
"You're awake." Magnus nodded slowly.  
"Have been for a while. Cat knew that, but was pretending she didn't and let me rest."  
The older teen slipped back and opened his arms wide enough that Alec could lie down next to him under the thin blanket. The blue-eyed teen crawled next to his friend and laid down facing the other teen.  
"How are you feeling?"  
"Sleepy. Exhausted." The older teen closed his eyes again. "Will told you?"  
"Yes."  
Magnus nodded at his answer. "That's nothing I want to handle on a more frequent basis. The last time was not nearly half as bad."  
"So it had happened before?"  
"Yes. Twice before since I've been living with them. The first time Will was with him and I was brought to the hospital to see them and Will told me what was going on with Jem and why he's ill. The second time Jem was complaining about a headache. He went to bed and Will was checking in on him an hour later. The seizure had just started and they rushed off to the hospital. Jem was able to come home that same night." The older teen nibbled at his bottom lip drawing small figures on the bed sheet.  
"Do you think there will be permanent damage?" Magnus looked up at Alec's question.  
"I don't know." He snuggled deeper into the blanket forcing Alec to slid closer to his friend. Not knowing what to do with his hands, the younger teen slung them around the other teen hugging him loosely. Magnus closed the distance on the bed and hugged Alec close to his chest.  
"I love them both so much. I don't know what I would do without them." He pecked Alec on his cheek, inhaling deeply. "And I love you as well. Don't leave me, 'kay?"  
Within seconds the older teen had fallen asleep again while Alec was starring out of the window. Probably Magnus didn't think about the implication of those three words but Alec's mind was working on full speed. He liked Magnus. Liked liked him. But was his friend feeling what Alec was feeling? He doubted it. Clearly Magnus saw Alec as part of his family, as a kid-brother maybe, and that's why he loved him.

"Stop thinking, Alec. I can't sleep with you fidgeting around."  
The older teen sighed and looked up at the blue-eyed boy who had gone into some kind of shock.  
"Were you aware that you were talking out loud?" Alec blushed a deep red and avoided Magnus' eyes. The older teen sighed heavily, leaned up and pressed his lips softly on Alec's. "I like like you, too." The idiot implied behind the sentence could still be heard. "And now lie down and sleep or think quitely." Magnus closed his eyes again and smiled when Alec snuggled into his arms.


	7. 7 - The other side

"So what are you really mad about? That you found them sleeping on the same bed? Because that had happened before. Or that they were cuddling on said bed? I really don't know what your problem is, William."

Jem sighed and leaned back against the head rest of his seat. After four nights at the hospital he was more than ready to go home and get well there. He didn't know why the nurses and doctors were telling their patients to rest and "get well soon" with all the illness around. He made sure that all his patients were released soon so they could go home and get well were their family was and no cold, of antiseptics smelling corridors and death just waiting around the corner. Will was starring at the street driving them home slowly - for Will's standards at least. The dark haired man was bitting his lips.

"I don't know. Alec is still so new to all this and Magnus... You know Magnus. I don't know if he's over all the shit that had happened in his life."

"Alec may be new to a loving and accepting family but he is clearly not new to being gay. And Magnus needs someone as Alec in his life. You can't be sure that there is more than friendship between them."

Will snorted at Jem's last words. "You know as well as I that there is more to their feelings. You have seen them looking at each other. Those secret glances you were giving me when you thought I wasn't watching? That's how they are looking at one another."

"And that is so bad? That Magnus may has found the person he was waiting for? That Alec feels comfortable in his own skin, comfortable enough to fall in love and not feel guilty about?"

"No... Yes. I don't know. Of course I want them to be happy. But they are so young and what happens when one of them doesn't feel what the other feels? Where does that leave them or us? We can't take sides and we very well can't send one of them away. We are a family - as confusing as that may be."

Will turned left and took the gate way to the basement garage. He parked the car in the assigned spot and stopped fully. The dark-haired man got Jem's suitcase out of the boot while the gray-haired man made his way out of the car carefully not to hit his head on the roof of the car.

"It's your turn by the way." Will closed the door behind Jem and locked the car.  
"My turn for what exactly?"  
"The talk. I had it with Magnus and I'm not going through that again."  
"Oh just because Magnus showed you that he could deep-throat that purple fake phallus, doesn't mean that Alec is going to do something similar or that Magnus would do something like that in front of Alec. William you are so irrational."

Huffing Jem snatched his suitcase from his partner walking faster to the elevator. He pushed the button and waited for the polished doors to open. Will was slowly making his way over to him. He took the suitcase from the gray-haired man rubbing his partner's neck affectionately.

"They are two teenagers, William. I think that could warrant two adults being present while they get the talk."  
The dark-haired man pecked Jem on his cheek.  
"Thank you."  
James just rolled his eyes and entered the elevator, pushing the button to their floor.

* * *

When the doors opened again both men were greeted with the open door to their loft and the school bags lying on the floor with the boots and coats the teenagers had put on this morning.

"Why do I have a bad feeling about the clothing strewn around our entrance and the open door?"  
James boxed Will on his arm earning a satisfying 'Ouch!' from his partner.

"Alexander? Magnus?"

"Bedroom!" came the muffled reply from the teenagers' room down the hall. The older men walked over and Jem - being the polite person he was - knocked twice before trying the handle. The door was locked and they could hear frantic scrambling from the inside. Will - being not as polite as Jem - hammered against the door and yelled at the teens to open up and that they "should better be clothed or else!". Moments later a flushed Alec opened the door smiling meekly at his guardians. His hair was ruffled and the buttons on the shirt he was wearing were buttoned the wrong way. The blue-eyed teen was bitting his lip looking unsure of himself and - for lack of a better word - throughly fucked. Will's eyes turned to ice.  
"Get dressed and meet us in the living room. Jem and I have to talk to you - both of you."

The dark-haired man stormed away and took the suitcase to his and Jem's bedroom. The gray-haired man looked after him and sighed. Alec was still standing next to James looking at the empty place where Will had been standing just seconds before.

"Did we do something wrong?" The older man turned to look at his blue-eyed charge. He stroked a finger over Alec's cheek that had a fresh scratch mark on it.  
"Not as that. He would have been happier if you had waited a little longer. We would have been happier."  
Confused the teen furrowed his brows.  
"Waited with what?"  
"Being intimate."  
"I... We didn't. I swear. I wouldn't do that. Not yet." Alec's cheeks flushed a very bright red as he nibbled on his bottom lip. "Why would you think that?"  
"Well for starters your shirt is not buttoned the right way, your cheek has a scratch mark and you look like you have just rolled out of bed."  
"Oh. Well there is an explanation to that."

The older man sighed and patted the teen's hair. "There better is. Tell Magnus to get dressed and come with you. I'm making some tea. Heaven knows I may need it."  
With those words the older man walked into the kitchen leaving the blue-eyed teen frowning at the entrance to his bedroom. Alec walked inside closing the door behind him. Minutes later as the tea was steeping in the teapot, the older men were waiting for their charges to emerge from their bedroom.

"Do you think we should put Alec's cot into the office?"

Jem thought over William's words. Of course that may be a solution but not for too long.

"They would just sneak in the other's room. Better to let them have their privacy and let them know that we trust them enough to let them stay together."

The door to the teen's bedroom opened and the teenagers walked towards their guardians sitting down on the sofa opposite the armchairs the older men were sitting in. Alec was still as flushed but he had applied a band aid to his scratch mark and buttoned his shirt the right way. Magnus was watching his guardians with narrowed eyes pressing a bundle of towels to his chest. The younger teen was bitting his lip looking from the older men to Magnus and the bundle in his arms.

"So. Alec told me what you told him and what you think may have happened here. And I have to say that I'm hurt." Will was gripping the armrest of his armchair hard. "I didn't know that you trust me so little. Even you, Jem."

"You are too young to have sex!"

Alec was blushing furiously, but Magnus kept his cool.

"And here I thought we had already established that it is already too late, William."

"Oh don't give me that shit, Magnus. After all what has happened with your mother, after all what has happened to you, living with him after he found out that you were no longer a virgin, do you really think I would let that slip? I'm your guardian and I think I have a right to know what goes on in here. And I think I have the right to forbid you two to be intimate."

"I will be 17 at the end of November. Alec is 15. In New York there are lots of kids younger than us in relationships whose parents don't give a fuck about what they do and with whom they are doing it."

"I'm not those people, Magnus, and I will never be." Will's voice was strained as if he was still sitting by pure stubbornness alone and not slapping Magnus like he wished he would.  
"Then trust me. Trust me enough to do the right thing for Alec and me." The older teen placed the bundle of towels onto Alec's lap and walked over to Will who was refusing to meet the golden eyes. "Trust me enough to ask the question you wanted to ask when you hammered against our door and trust me enough to believe that I would tell you the truth." He placed his hand over one of Will's which was griping the material of the armrest so tight that it could burst any moment. "Ask me, Will."

The older man cleared his throat looking Magnus directly in his eyes. "Did you and Alec have sex?"  
"No. We didn't and don't plan to in the near future."

Relief rushed through the dark-haired man and he closed his eyes resting his head on the back of his armchair.

"Then why was your door locked and why was Alec not dressed properly and where does his scratch mark come from?" Jem who was pouring tea into the mugs standing on the coffee table was looking at the younger teen and the bundle on his lap that was - fidgeting?

The blue-eyed teen was disentangling the bundle on his lap while Magnus sat down beside him.

"First of all I want you two to promise us not to get too angry, okay?"

Will was rubbing a hand over his face. "I promise." James just nodded waiting for Alec to be done.

From the bundle of towels emerged a small fluffy white cat with blue eyes and a small black dot on its back. It was looking around rubbing his head against Alec's chest and walking over to Magnus trying to nibble at the older teen's fingers.

"Isn't he the cutest?"

The kitten jumped on the coffee table knocking Magnus' tea mug over onto the carpet staining it with the herbal blend. Jem gathered the small cat into his arms looking it over.  
"It's a boy. Where did you find him?"

The teenagers who were trying to rescue the carpet and moping the floor and table with paper rolls, looked up at the gray-haired man who was petting the kitten on his lap.

"Behind the school. Alec was waiting for me to go home. We heard some noises behind the school building. Some kids had just dropped something on the ground and when we looked we found a small cardboard box with him inside. He was dirty and we had to give him a bath and that is why we had to lock the door as the little devil tried to escape. In the end we were soaked and Chairman Meow had scratched Alec and then you came home before we had a chance to clear the chaos."

"Chairman Meow?" Three pairs of eyes were trained on Magnus.  
"Well, he does need a name and I thought it was fitting."  
"Who says we are keeping him?"

Magnus looked at Will with big innocent eyes and a pout on his lips. The older man sighed heavily.

"We will make some posters and if nobody wants him back within the next two weeks we will keep him."  
"And you're not saying that because you feel guilty for screaming at me and Alec?"  
"When did I ever feel guilty about that? Normally you earned that yourself."  
With that the older man stood up and took the sodden paper rolls from Alec to throw them away in the kitchen.  
"Now come and help me cook dinner."

* * *

"All this fuss about a tiny cat."  
Will and Jem were lying in bed. The dark-haired man was looking at the ceiling his hands folded behind his head, James was reading a novel next to him.  
"A cute tiny cat that makes them happy."  
Will turned to his partner. The gray-haired man had closed his book and pulled the blanket up to his shoulders.  
"Do you think I overreacted?"  
"Hmm... I don't know. Seeing the coats on the floor I was at first worried that they had been kidnapped. Then when Alec opened the door all ruffled and flushed, I thought as well that they had been intimate. I just think that's the other side of being a guardian. Not only the fun with having kids but also acting like a parent with the best interest in your mind."  
Jem closed his eyes slipping closer to Will, lying with his head on his partner's chest.  
"Fun part? I'm still looking for any fun coming from that guardianship."


	8. 8 - Proving a theory

Snuggling closer to the warmth provided by the other body, Alec slowly woke up. Magnus was still out cold snoring softly. The Chairman was lying between their heads trying to get as much heat as he could without having to climb under the bed sheets. The sun shone bright through the transparent curtains and the fresh air drifting into their room was smelling of winter and a slightly bit of Christmas morning - but that could be the result of the cinnamon tea and fresh rolls one of their guardians was making.

Kissing the exposed neck right next to him the blue-eyed teen rolled out of bed. Ever since he had seen his guardians doing it - he still couldn't say what "it" was out loud and certainly not in his head - his hormones tried to catch up with him. So for the last few weeks a dent in his pyjama pants was greeting him every morning, mocking him for his own insecurities. He had often tried to talk to Jem - the gray-haired man was a doctor and would certainly would answer him from a scientific point of view - but Alec was just to embarrassed to ask. How could you ask a grown man what to do with your - thing? Damn his upbringing in sub-urban utopia where nobody was gay and certainly not the mayor's son. He sighed and made his way to the closet where his clothes were kept. They had to move the furniture to accommodate an extra dresser but with Alec's cot gone - as he and Magnus had realised they just slept better together in one bed and Magnus' bed was big enough - that was the least of their problems.

The dark-haired teen sighed again walking into the bathroom closing the door behind himself. He got out of his pyjamas, blushing tomato red as the soft material freed his member and a soft moan escaped his lips. He walked over to the shower preparing himself for the ice cold water he would use to get rid of his problem. The blue-eyed teen closed his eyes and turned on the shower. He hissed as the water touched his skin but instead of shrinking said problem the soft massage of the water on his body made it grow harder. He knew he wouldn't survive with a hard-on throughout the day.

"You should try touching it."

Alec turned around quickly and nearly tripped over the rim of the shower. Magnus was sitting on the closed toilet seat watching him with hooded eyes. His heart was hammering in his chest as he watched his boyfriend.

"What?!"  
"Touch it. Masturbate? Jerk off?"

Alec still looked at him like a deer caught in a headlight, his chest and face red and his member still standing on half-mast.

"Have you never tried touching yourself?"

Alec shook his head bitting his bottom lip. Magnus moved to stand up from the toilet seat as they heard a knock on the door.

"Magnus? Alec? Everything alright in there?"

The older teen watched his younger boyfriend and looked to the closed bathroom door.

"It's really nothing to be embarrassed about." , he said to Alec before turning to open the door to let Jem in. "Alec has a boy problem."

Looking from one teen to the other, Jem arched an eyebrow. "Wouldn't you be the 'boy problem'?"

Rolling his eyes Magnus walked by his guardian back into his room. He picked the chairman up from their bed and walked into the living room greeting his other guardian and making breakfast for the small kitten. Meanwhile Jem had closed the bathroom door eying the teen still standing under the shower. His cheeks were still bright pink but at least his problem has taken its leaf - not making this any more comfortable.

"Why don't you get dressed and we talk in your room. That less likely to make anyone wet."

Alec nodded still too embarrassed to say anything.

Minutes later the teen emerged fully dressed from the bathroom to find Jem sitting on his and Magnus' bed reading some magazine he had found somewhere in the chaos of two growing boys. The older man closed the magazine and looked up at Alec. He patted the place next to him on the bed indicating that the younger male should sit down.

"So what is your 'boy problem'?"

Alec bit his bottom lip. He looked up at his guardian trying to find the courage to tell him about his problem or at least trying to be as blunt as Magnus.

"I... Ever since I have seen you and Will... together... I well... I wake up... in the morning... and ahm my thing is hard? AndIwantittogoaway."

Embarrassed he looked at his feet. As he received no answer and no other reaction he looked up. Jem was looking at him fondly.

"Were your parents religious people?"  
"What has that to do with - you know?"  
"Just answer the question, please."  
"No. At least I don't think so. Well my fa... he was rather well known where I lived before and thus we had to got to church every Sunday, but we didn't pray before eating or something like that."

Jem nodded in understanding. "Have they given you the talk?"  
"The talk?"  
"Yes as in the talk about how children are received and that you should wait until you be intimate with your partner and use protection? That kind of talk."  
"Yeah when Izzy was about twelve and got her first period they sat me and Jace down to talk about girls and stuff. I wasn't really interested in this talk about pregnancy as I already knew I would never get a girl pregnant."  
"So I see. Did they talk about STDs?"  
"No. But I know all about those." Alec was looking out of the window his mind miles away. He knew of all STDs thanks to the Institute and he really wouldn't talk about that. Jem noticing the inflection of Alec's voice didn't ask further, knowing that if he pressured the teen into telling him what has happened before, he would lose his trust and that was something Jem wasn't willing to jeopardise.  
"Tell me about your problem, Alec."

Magnus was slowly drinking his coffee while he waited for Jem and Alec to come out of their room. He didn't know what the big deal was. Morning wood was a daily occurrence being a teenager and jerking off was a daily and very much welcome activity as well - especially when you were sleeping in one bed with such a gorgeous boy like Alec. He licked his lips trying to prevent having a hard on while sitting at the breakfast table with his guardian - the one who liked to embarrass him. The dark-haired teen sighed and put his mug back on the table looking at the goodies waiting to be devoured. A cinnamon roll later and the door to the teen's bedroom opened. Alec looked relieved with a small blush adoring his cheeks. He sat opposite Magnus and took a look at his boyfriend before looking down at his plate blushing to the roots of his ears.

He nibbled on his roll stealing a glance in Magnus' direction ever so often. The older teen arched an eyebrow and looked at his gray-haired guardian interrogatory. Jem just smiled knowingly at Magnus and drank his morning tea. The rustling of the paper next to him made him look up at his other guardian. William was looking between the three other occupants of the table before he rolled his eyes and sighed. He knew Jem would tell him what this secrecy was all about and what he should prepare for. Sending a meaningful look towards Magnus the teen got the hint and resumed his breakfast.

Later when he and Alec were sitting in front of the TV watching one of their favourite shows - well it was Magnus' favourite show and he somehow got Alec addicted to it - the older men were talking over a piece of paper at the dinning table. From time to time one of them would look up and narrow his eyes before whispering something to his partner. It was unnerving Magnus to the point that he wanted to snap at them for their behaviour - who was the adult here anyway? Suddenly Jem stood up and fetched the paper from the table putting it into his wallet before he and Will got their coats. With a short 'we're going out, so you better behave' the two men were out of the door before one of their charges could even ask where they were going.

Alec has taken the remote zapping through the different channels until he found an old cartoon show he was willing to watch until they found something better to do. Suddenly soft lips brushed his neck startling the teen. He dropped the remote to the carpet waking the kitten who was snoring under the coffee table. Touching the spot were moments ago his boyfreind's lips had been he turned to the other boy glaring at him. Magnus had a big grin on his face watching Alec closely.

"What's on your mind?"  
"I'm thinking about punching you to be honest. Don't scare people like that!" Blushing he rubbed the spot on his neck and looked back to the TV.  
"Aren't you a bit curious?"  
"Curious? About what?"

Alec was pretty sure he knew what Magnus was talking about and the grin on Magnus' face showed him that the older teen knew that he knew as well.

"You were talking to Jem and when you got out you were eying me the whole time until we started watching TV. So don't tell me you aren't curious."

The smaller teen bit the inside of his cheek looking his friend all over. The golden-eyed teen was 17 years old now and with 5 ft 9 inch he was pretty tall and was handsome - and damn the little devil knew that. Alec swallowed and thought about what he was about to ask of his boyfriend.

"Jem, he... He told me that being boyfriends meant that we would eventually do more than just sleeping next to each other and from what Will was shouting when we brought the chairman home, he is expecting it happening soon."

Magnus nodded to what Alec was saying, encouraging the teen to go on.

"My question is: Are we doing it soon?"

The older teen looked at Alec who was blushing red as a tomato and bitting his lip so hard that it turned white. He reached over sweeping over the abused lip.

"Do you think that you are ready for that step in our relationship?"

Alec leaned back against the backrest of the couch. He thought about the way Magnus made him feel when he woke up next to him and he thought about how Jem and Will were looking while they had sex. He shuddered shortly. He didn't think that he would be able to do that just yet. He voiced that to his boyfriend who nodded.

"You know that there is more than having sex or jerking off?"  
The smaller teen blushed again, his eyes as wide as saucers. Magnus looked at him and then up to the ceiling remembering the talk he had with Will and Jem after he trusted them enough with his story and after the first failed attempt at the talk. He sighed and took a deep breath.

"Jerking off or masturbating shows you what you like and doing that you will be able to tell your partner what you like and what you don't when you get intimate. Some people don't feel good masturbating - there may be religious or personal matters. But there are other things you can do with your partner before you go over to have full intercourse."

He licked his lips and chanced a glance at Alec. "There's petting were you explore the other's body, oral sex and fingering. They all make you feel good and let you experience orgasm." He grinned at his boyfriend. "There are even toys we could use."

Spluttering Alec looked at Magnus. "Toys?!"  
"Yes. Toys. I once nearly swallowed a dildo whole just to show Will that I could."  
"You.. Will.. what?"  
"Yeah. That was still the time when I was new to all this family thing. But that's a story for another time. Now my question: are you curious?"  
Bitting his lip and earning himself a frown for doing so, the teen nodded. Magnus leaned in and kissed him slowly.

* * *

Hours later the door to the loft opened slowly and let the older occupants inside. The sun had long since set and the TV was still on. The chairman walked over to the other two humans meowing and stroking around their ankles nearly making Will trip over the white kitten.

Jem was hanging his coat on the rack putting his key on the small table standing in the entry way. He walked over to the living room leaving bags full of presents at the door. He looked over the couch and found his two charges sleeping cuddling with each other. Their hair was still a little wet and Alec's cheeks were slightly pink. Jem stroked the younger teen's hair waking him in the process.

"Hej." The blue-eyed boy yawned rubbing his eyes.  
"Hej yourself. Feeling good?" Jem was still stroking his hair.  
"We didn't. You know."  
Jem just smiled at his charge.  
"I know. Still, feeling good?"  
Alec blushed and nodded. "Yes."  
"So I don't have to lecture my lovely older charge for corrupting your innocence?"  
The teen snorted waking Magnus. The older teen glared at his boyfriend and then at the older man leaning over both of them.  
"He didn't. He wouldn't."  
Not knowing what Alec was talking about Magnus huffed trying to sit up. Jem just smiled again, nodded and kissed the top of Magnus' head.  
"What was that about?"  
The older teen's words were slurred from sleep.  
"He was just proving a theory. Successfully I might add."  
Grunting and still not knowing what his boyfriend was talking about, the golden-eyed teenager sat up unsettling Alec and with a small 'squee' both boys were lying on the floor where Will found them and snorted.


	9. 9 - Teenage-y things

Walking hand in hand with his boyfriend down the streets of New York City was something entirely new to Alec. He blushed as looked at their intertwined hands. Magnus was dragging him to the nearest Mall to get their Christmas shopping done. Certainly he had done that before for his siblings and together with his siblings for his parents but he never felt this giddy before. He wanted to get Jem and Will something nice and fitting for the occasion. With his ex-family - he couldn't and wouldn't think of the people who had abandoned him to a future of prostitution as family anymore - it was always a set gift for every one - something that could be used in every day life. Robert was against everything that could remotely bring joy to his children's life. Fortunately he didn't have anything against reading or else Alec wouldn't have been able to devour the Harry Potter series - unfortunately he wasn't allowed to watch the movies. If they went to the cinema they went as a family and Robert and Maryse decided what to watch - mostly movies with an educational background.

Alec was brought back from his musing by the warmth rushing against his face as they entered the Mall. There was Christmas decoration every where and Christmas music was playing from the speakers. The smaller teen looked around in awe. In the town he was living in before, the Christmas decoration was not as colourful and bright as here. Robert - as the mayor - decided that the decorations should be kept traditional and minimal. Even houses weren't allowed to be decorated too bold - a plastic Santa or reindeer in the garden? Absolutely not.

"Where to go first?"

Alec looked at Magnus who was still holding his hand walking through the masses of Christmas shoppers. They had decided to combine their allowances - Alec was still insecure about receiving one as he didn't know where this money was coming from and he certainly didn't want his guardians to diverge money from their own earnings. Magnus, who could smell Alec's thoughts, had poked him on the forehead telling him that the money came from a "fairly legal" source and he shouldn't think too much about it and if he didn't want to spend it on himself they could get something good for Jem and Will.

They stopped on the floor where the food court was situated and got something to drink and a piece of cheese cake they wanted to eat together. The waitress had giggled as Magnus had asked for one piece of cake with two forks and had given them an extra serving of whipped cream. They were sitting close to a family with two teenagers and their parents. The girl had her hair in a ponytail and was typing away on her mobile while the boy - who was about Alec's age - was eyeing them curiously. The father was watching them as well with a disgusted look on his face and as he saw that his son was glancing at the young couple made a strangled noise and told his son that he shouldn't watch the fags. Alec was looking at the cake in front of him trying not to listen to what the man was telling his children.

"Don't be sad. He's just mad that won't ever understand what we have."

The silent words made the blue-eyed boy look up at his boyfriend. Magnus was looking sadly at him. Being openly gay wasn't something many teenagers their age were doing as they received lots of hate from their peers and sometimes from their parents as well. Alec would never have acted on his feelings if he still would be living with Robert and Maryse but here in New York with his guardians and Magnus he didn't want to pretend. He leaned over the table and with a - for Alec - bold move kissed his boyfriend on his lips. That made the golden-eyed teenager grin.

"She's cheating on him any way."  
Blinking at the words from Alec the taller teen took a glance at the wife who was rummaging through her handbag and then back to Alec.  
"How would you know something like that?"  
"Her jewellery. Her necklace and earrings are well kept, her wedding ring is not and it has not left a mark on her finger."  
"Oh I didn't know that you are Sherlock Holmes. Does that make me your Dr. Watson?"  
Alec couldn't resist the smile spreading over his lips.  
"You know that there are a couple of people out there interpreting the living arrangements of Holmes and Watson as a relationship of the romantic kind."  
"Didn't know that as well."  
Magnus stole another kiss from Alec and together they ate their cake before they made their way into the crowded shops.

* * *

"So we've got the new scarf for Jem, the gloves for Will and cards for the opera for the two of them. What else is missing?"  
Alec turned around to find his boyfriend staring at a sign in the window of the shop they just passed. He walked over to the other teen looking at the same sign.  
"You're not thinking what I think you're thinking."  
"That depends. I'm thinking that you're utterly cute and that this would be a very good idea."  
The smaller teen looked from the sign to his boyfriend and back to the sign.  
"And what makes you think that?"  
"You look adorable when you blush, your hair sticks in every direction when you wake up and you make the cutest noises when we are making out. Hence you're utterly cute."  
Alec had blushed tomato red during his boyfriend's speech who was stilling looking contemplative at the sign.  
"You know that I wasn't talking about that."  
"So you admit that you're cute?"  
"There is no point in telling you again and again that I'm definitely not cute."  
He looked at the older teen who was rubbing his chin while he thought about the offer.  
"It would be a very teenage-y act to take the offer."  
That was not the right thing to say as Magnus looped his arm around Alec's shoulder and dragged him into the shop, telling him to let the responsible Alec waiting outside.

* * *

Alec was pulling his cap over his ears looking at his boyfriend. He was sure that as soon they stepped over the threshold of the loft one of the guardians would notice their secretive behaviour and that it had nothing to do with the gifts already packed in the bag that Alec was carrying. He looked over to Magnus who was making clicking noises with the new attachment in his mouth. At first Alec was a little envious that Magnus could hide his tongue piercing much better than Alec could hide the stud in his ear but as soon as the older teen would open his mouth their guardians would hear a slight lisp coming with the piercing. Jason, who had pierced them, had told them that a small swelling was to be expected but that it should be gone in about 7 to 10 days.

The younger teen got the key from his pocket and opened the door to the loft. The Chairman greeted them happily as he tried to escape while the teenagers were walking inside. Magnus got the small kitten from the floor and set him on the carpet in the entrance area.

"Magnus? Alec?"

Jem came out of the small office nearly being run over by the kitten who was chasing unseen things along the floor. He eyed them both before his eyes settled on Alec and the cap he was still wearing.

"Is it cold in here, Alexander?"

The blue-eyed teenager flinched at Jem's tone and swallowed. He slowly put the cap down and turned his head so that James could the the sapphire blue stud in his left ear. The doctor starred at the small stone and then turned his eyes on the older teen.

"Magnus?"

Hesitating the golden-eyed teenager poked his tongue out at the gray-haired man. A small - maybe 0.2 inches in diameter - silvery globe was projecting from Magnus' tongue. The older man looked from one teen to the other and seeing their guilt ridden faces burst out laughing.

"I can't wait for Will to see that."

He walked the small distance until he stood in front of his charges. He bent down until he was eye level with Alec's ear and looked at his thoroughly.

"That's good work. They clearly disinfect their machinery and work professionally. I will still feel slightly more comfortable after I applied some disinfect myself on your ear."  
He turned to Magnus who was clicking the piercing against his teeth.

"Open up."

The golden-eyed teen opened his mouth and poked his tongue out.

"It is slightly swollen but I don't see that this should be a problem. But I advise you to stop clicking the piercing against your teeth or you may ruin them."

"ShZanksh."

"You shall keep your mouth shut for a little while." He looked to Alec who was busy getting out of his boots. The gray-haired man smirked at his older charge. "And I would advise you to keep your tongue inside until the swelling subsides and that applies for kissing as well."

Gasping at Jem, Magnus let his head hung and followed Alec into their room to put the gifts into their joint wardrobe. The younger teen changed into more comfortable clothing and got his books from his backpack.

"You are really shtading wishz your homework now?"

"Yes. When I start now and finish later this evening I'll have the whole weekend to do what I please."

"You should take your boyfriend's advice, Magnus. Think about all the winterly fun you can't do while sitting inside this very room writing essays for lovely teachers and doing maths."  
James was walking over to Alec who was sitting at the desk with his books open to start his homework. The older man put some fluid on some gauze gesturing for the younger teen to turn his head. He rubbed the fluid over the teenager's ear. The blue-eyed boy flinched slightly from the burn but turned back to his books and started reading the instructions. The gray-eyed man sat next to Magnus on the bed.

"I have nothing here I can give you as prophylaxis. We have to see if the piercing will infect or not. Until then you will have to live with the swelling and the lisp."

"You're taking shzisz rassha well."

Jem smiled at his older charge and stood up.

"There are worse things than getting a piercing at 15 or 17 and I certainly remember another teenager who got a tattoo at a rather private area but still a lot of people know about it."  
"You've got a tattoo?"  
"Never said it was me."  
The gray-haired man walked over to the door. "'Dinner and movie in an hour. Until then: behave." He walked out of the room closing the door behind himself.

* * *

An hour later the door bell to the loft rang startling Magnus from his reading and Alec from typing his essay into the computer. They looked up as Jem knocked on their door and opened it.

"Dinner's here. Come help me set the table."

Alec saved his work and clicked the 'print' button. He liked working with the computer but experienced that he swapped letters while typing. He preferred having it proof-read by his guardians or Magnus - especially his French essays as Magnus was fluent in French. He followed the older teen out of their room into the kitchen where Jem was arranging dinner and had set plates and cutlery on the counter. Apparently Jem had a liking for Japanese food this evening as Onigiri, sushi and Miso soup found there way from their respective Styrofoam boxes on plates and into bowls.

"There are only three plates here."

"Will won't be home until past midnight. Some meeting or other. He didn't specify."

James got soy sauce and ginger from the fridge and set them on a tray. He gestured for Magnus to take the tray to the coffee table. A little confused the blue-eyed teen followed with the plates, cutlery and chopsticks. James got a DVD from their shelves and put it into the player. The teenager sat down on the couch and left enough space for the older man to sit down as well. The movie started as they helped themselves to the food. Recognizing the music both teen looked at their guardian.

"When did shzat arrive?"  
"Today. Got it out of the letterbox shortly before the two of you came home."  
"Shzatshz shzoo cool."

Grinning at the screen Alec bit into an Onigiri. As he had told Magnus that he had read the Harry Potter series but was never allowed to watch a movie his boyfriend made sure that they had a DVD marathon that weekend involving the 4 movies already on DVD. Now he would see how his favourite of the series had been adopted as a movie. He liked the cast - especially Alan Rickman as Snape - and was curious how they had designed 12 Grimmauld Place.

After the movie the two slightly disappointed teens went back to their homework. Much later when the teens had already gone to bed the door to the loft opened again. Will was making his way as silent as possible through the dark entrance area. The light was on in his and Jem's bedroom and he knew that his partner was still awake waiting for him to come home. He opened the door fully seeing Jem sitting in their bed. The gray-haired man was looking up from his book welcoming him home. Will undressed slowly and made his way naked into their shared bathroom to take a short shower. Then the dark-haired man slipped under the bed sheets gathering Jem into his arms kissing him longingly.

"Not that I'm not a fan of a naked body and heated kisses but what brought this on, William?"

The dark-haired man sighed and rubbed over the curve of his partner's back finding no garments between them.

"There was a meeting today. We have found an institution proclaiming to 'help your wayward sons to get on the right track again' meaning a place where you can send your gay sons to make them straight. We found evidence that some of the children are being prostituted. They are using the kids in some kind of bizarre gentleman club where creepy guys with a preference for teenage boys can live out their fantasies without having to give up their happy life with wife and kids of their own."

Will rubbed a hand over his face.

"We interviewed some of these guys and one of them told us about a boy with 'raven hair and sapphire blue eyes' who went missing at the beginning of September. He called him a true beauty to behold and he was sad that he couldn't have him. I don't need to tell you that suddenly that guy's nose was bleeding and no one knew how that had happened."

"As much as I applaud the gentleman or lady who accomplished that I still hope it wasn't you. One probation at the beginning of your training was enough."  
Will huffed and kissed Jem again.

"No it wasn't me. My mind was occupied with other thoughts."  
The dark-haired man pulled a strand of the gray hair behind Jem's ear.

"He said that they called the boy Gee and that he looked like me."  
"It could be a coincidence."  
"It could be. I hope it is."  
Will had turned on his back looking at the ceiling. Jem was stroking over his chest.

"Tell me what you need, William."  
"I need to forget about tonight."  
"Then I will make you forget."  
James pulled the sheets from their bodies kissing down his partner's chest and abdomen until he reached his destination. Will's hands fisted in the bed sheets as Jem helped him to forget about the fear of what could have been.


	10. 10 - My past, my present, my future

Alec sat huddled into his coat and his new scarf, he had gotten for christmas, on the balcony of the unfamiliar flat somewhere in Manhatten sipping his tea. He suspected that the host of the party had spiked his drink with some alcoholic beverage or another to "loosen him up". The raven haired boy didn't mind. They didn't know that he tolerated quite a bit of alcohol and he was drinking slowly anyway.

"You're awefully quiet sitting alone outside by yourself."

Alec turned his head to the voice coming from his right. The hostess of the party - Camille Whatshernameagain - was standing a lot closer than he liked people standing near him - beside Magnus.

"I'm not a person who enjoyes social gatherings."

She hummed and lightened a cigarette still standing much too close.

"That's a pity as Magnus quite enjoyes partys. Had been throwing them himself for years. Well before... you know he moved in with his so-called guardians."

The young man scowled at the blonde's words. He liked Jem and Will. They were the parents he had always wished for - listening to all his sorrows and stupid storys from school or his Kyuudou training. Alec didn't say anything. If this girl - woman really - thought their guardians were strict so be it. He didn't want to come in the first place and had just accompanied Magnus. By the looks he had been receiving since they had entered the flat together, he wasn't welcome either. Camille was eyeing him from the corner of her eyes.

"Hm... you remember me a bit of one of his guardians. Walter? Weston? No."

"William.", answered Alec annoyed by the european accent she was speaking with.

"Ah. William, right. Has an awful sense of humor, if you ask me. And he is so uptight. You know what I mean? You must see a lot of him, dating Magnus and so on."

She was smiling sweetly at the raven haired boy next to her but it didn't reach her eyes. She was playing with him and Alec's feelings for Magnus.

"Yeah.", was all he said. He didn't want to go into detail about their home life and that he was living with Jem, Will and Magnus in the loft in Brooklyn.

"I was once over there in their little loft. At the beginning, before Magnus had changed into the lovely little puppy he is now. We had some fun. Fucked in their bed while they were at work. William came home early and found us. Oh he was so furious. Made me get dressed and threw me out."

She dragged on her cigarette and blew the smoke out slowly. She had seen the look on the boy's face after what she had just told him. She knew that those two were "fresh" as she liked to call them. She could smell the insecurity coming from this boy. A cute boy, she would give Magnus that, but not nearly as classy as herself. Ever since she had met the vibrant personality that was Magnus, she wanted to have him. She wanted to have everything that was Magnus - his body, his heart and his soul. If that ment she would destroy him in the process - so be it.

Alec was hugging the mug of tea close to himself. He had known that Magnus had boy- and girlfriends before him, that his boyfriend was no virgin. But that this blonde woman had been sleeping with Magnus was news to him and it didin't sit well. He gulped the last of his tea down and went inside without looking at Camille again. He didn't see the smirk forming on the blonde's face. The raven haired young man walked through the crowd of people gathering at the tables standing around the dance floor. He made it to the kitchen and sat the empty mug on the counter. His thoughts were swirling in his head and images of Magnus and Camille kept coming forward. Suddenly there was only one thing he could think of: 'move and get out of here'.

He was glad that he was already wearing his coat and walked as silently as possible to the door. He walked through the open door and made it outside before he could think about turning around and ask Magnus to come with him.

* * *

Magnus was sitting on the couch chatting with one of his former schoolmates. He had seen Alec walking to the balcony with a mug of tea in his hand. He knew that the raven haired teen hated social gathering but Magnus had begged him to come to this party. If he had known that Camille was the hostess he would have said no. He felt uneasy with the blonde. She was one from 'before'. From the time when he was still partying every night and drinking alcohol throughout the day. William had been furious with him when he had found him and Camille in his and Jem's bed. The older man had never been so angry at him before and Magnus made sure that he would never be that angry at him again - a furious William was a person to fear.

It was close to midnight when Magnus excused himself to go to Alec and hug the younger teen as tight as possible for coming with him to a party where he knew only Magnus and no one else. The green eyed young man walked on the balcony and stopped short - the balcony was empty. He looked around for any indication where Alec could be. He breathed in and out slowly, trying to calm himself down. Maybe he was on the toilet? Or in the kitchen? He walked slowly back inside and searched for his boyfriend. Slowly panic was setting in. He started asking the people standing around but none of them had seen Alec. At last he walked up to Camille who was flirting with a boy who was clearly uncomfortable with the attention.

"Excuse me. Camille?"

The blonde turned around and smiled sweetly at him - he wanted to punch her.

"Yes, Magnus, my darling?"

She was watching him closely, her prey all but forgotten.

"Have you seen Alec by any chance? You know my boyfriend who came with me tonight?"

"Oh yes. Of course the cute shy virgin boy. I have seen him. Have been talkin to him on the balcony for a bit. Told him about us."

Magnus blanched at her words.

"You. Did. WHAT?!"

She flipped her hair back looking annoyed.

"How should I know that he didn't know about that? You should be honest with your friends. Don't you think so?"

Magnus was bitting his lip. He needed every strength in his body not to punch the blonde in the face. How could this woman do that? He had always been honest with her, had done everything she wanted of him - even that one time when he was clearly uncomfortable with doing the deed in Jem and Will's bed. He swallowed every obscenity that he wanted to throw at her.

"Do you know where he is?"

"Hm... No. He went inside afterwards and I haven't seen him since. Maybe he went home?"

Pressing his lips together until they turned white he turned around, got his coat and scarf and made his way out of the flat. They were in Manhattan. Alec had never been to Manhattan before and he didn't know if he would find his way back to the loft. Magnus stopped short on the stairs. Alec had been in Manhattan before...

* * *

Alec was walking around the unfamiliar path. He had come with Magnus to Manhattan, holding the other boy's hand closely and admiring the still new view of their linked hands. He got his mobile out of his poket. There was still no service and no phone booth in sight. He hoped that he would find a police officer or at least a cafe still open where he could call Will and Jem. But he was out of luck tonight. He sighed again and made his way through the nearly empty streets. Walking silently through the snow had a rather calming effect on him. He didn't think so much about Magnus' past anymore.

He should be rational about the whole affair. He and Magnus were together now and he hadn't told the older teen everything from his past, why they had met in such an unusual place. The raven haired teen stopped short and looked up. Appearently his short walk through the unfamiliar town had brought him to a part he knew all too well. He looked at the brick buidling closest to him. You wouldn't know what was going on behind the closed doors, what kind of perversion was going on behind those windows.

He gritted his teeth. He didn't want to think about the future what would have awaited him here, what kind of fate his biological family had chosen for him. He was happy that he was living with Jem and William and Magnus - oh Magnus. A sob escaped him. He missed the warmth of the other teens hands. He should have gone to him, ask him to go home. Another sob made his way up his throat. If he couldn't stop the sobs soon someone would come outside and they would take one look and him and they would know... He needed to get away. He wanted to go home. He wanted to scream for his guardians to take him home.

Suddenly the weight of a hand made him panic. He looked up at the blak silhouette standing in front of him. He wanted to kick and scream at the man but before he actually hurt the man his other senses kicked in and he recognised William who was calling his name over and over again. The tennager slumbed foreward into the arms of his guardian sobbing uncontrollably. Will hugged the crying teen close and murmured that "everything will be alright soon" in his ear.

Will was driving silently through the city to their loft. He didn't want to push Alec into telling him why he had that sudden breakdown in the middle of the street. The call they had received two hours ago, was enough to make his heart speed up and the slight panic in Magnus' voice wasn't helping in the slightest. He had told the teen to come home despite his protest and got into his car leaving Jem alone to wait for Magnus - or maybe Alec when he found his way home. It had always been "when" not "if" but deep down Will prayed that he would find the younger teen before someone else did.

Alec was looking out of the window without seeing the scenery passing by. He was glad that William had found him and that they were on their way home where he could get warmed up and go to sleep on the couch without having to worry about anything in the world. He sighed and closed his eyes briefly. The next thing he registered was the feeling of being carried. That hadn't happened in quite a while. His father had complained about him getting too heavy and too old for being carried to bed.

The raven haired teen opened his eyes slowly. It wasn't Robert who carried him, it was William and he was so much more comforted by the sight of his guardian. The older man looked down and smiled at him not stopping to let him down. Alec snuggled closer into the older man's coat. Will stopped at the elevator and pressed the button to let them inside. Just before they reached their floor the older man let Alec down.

"So not to scare Jem. You can go lie down on the couch after being throughly checked over by him."

Alec just nodded still standing close to his guardian keeping one lapel of the older man's coat clutched in his hand. As soon as they walked through the door the teen was ambushed by his boyfriend and his other guardian being hugged as tight as humanly possible.

"Let him breathe. He needs air to survive, too."

Disgrunteled Magnus moved away from the younger teen so Jem could look him over. Not finding anything beside the puffy eyes from crying and a minimal hypothermia, the gray haired man told Alec to take a hot shower and change into his pyjamas.

When the youngest member of the houshold escaped from the shower, tea was already waiting for him on the small table in the living room. Jem was sitting on the couch blowing on his tea eyeing Magnus from under his lashes. The older teen was sitting on one of the armchairs hugging his knees close to his chest with his arms slung around his legs. Will was staring at the coffee table occupying the other armchair. Alec couldn't fathom what the older man may be thinking about. He walked over to the empty seat next to Jem and took the offered mug of soothing chamomille tea. The gray haired was moving closer to him laying his arm around Alec's shoulders.

"Does one of you want to start an explanation as to why Alec was walking through Manhattan in the middle of the night in January having fled a party you two were begging us to go to?"

William had moved to lean back in his armchair watching both teenager. Alec ducked his head. In the nearly 4 months he was living in Brooklyn with Magnus and his guardians he hadn't heard the older man sounding so disappointed. He gulped and put the mug back on the coffee table as he wasn't trusting his fingers not to shake while he explained to the adults why he left the security of the flat to walk around the streets of Manhattan.

"I.. I, well, there was this girl or woman at the party. She was the hostess. We talked a bit and she said some.. stuff and I wasn't thinking and just wanted to leave.", Alec explained not looking up through his speech. He didn't want to see Will's face as he told him that he ran away because some woman was a bit mean to him.

"To be entirely fair, we already know that Camille is a bitch and has a mean streak." Maybe that was not the right thing to say at that particular moment and Magnus regretted his words as soon as they had left his mouth.

"Camille? As in Camille Fucking Belacourt? Are you kidding me, Magnus? You told me the party was hosted by Alice and not fucking Camille Belacourt."

In all the weeks Alec hadn't heard Will curse that much in one sentence and it even left Magnus flinching back in his seat.

"I didn't know?"

"Oh so you didn't know that Camille was the hostess? Is that a statement or a question, Magnus? And why the hell didn't you get away as soon as you knew it was Camille's party?"  
If Magnus could shrink back any further, he would be merging into the backrest of the armchair.

"I didn't know. Statement. And she wasn't there in the beginning. Alice let us inside. I was sitting with Alec on the sofa talking with my former schoolmates when suddenly she dropped by and presented herself as the hostess. She left us alone for a while but Alec was bored and it was getting stuffy in the room. So he went outside. I hadn't seen Camille joining him on the balcony."

Will was seething at Magnus' words. He really had to keep his anger inside. He tried to tell himself that it wasn't Magnus' fault that Alec ran away and ended up in front of the former Institute.

"And what was that woman saying that made you leave alone, Alexander?"

The raven haired boy flinched at Will's words. Jem continued to rub soothing circles into his shoulder.

"She... she.. well told me some things about Magnus' past and that they used to be together and... well what they had done while she had been her once."

Jem who had been silent through the discussion suddenly cleared his throat.

"I think that is something we should talk about after we had some sleep - all of us."

"No. No, I think it should be dealt with now." To the astonishment of the other three occupants, it had been Magnus who had voiced that statement. The older teen blushed under the gaze of his guardians. "Don't look at me that way. I couldn't sleep anyway with this thing hanging over my head. Just to move foreward to the future."

Jem sighed next to Alec and leaned back against the backrest of the couch not letting go of Alec or stopping the soothing circles on his shoulder.

"Then you may get started."

Magnus took a deep breath and launched into a story he knew was going to hurt the relationship with Alec.

* * *

"When I was young, really really young my mother died. Until I was 8 or 9 I thought that she may have died in a car crash or something similiar but my father told me one drunken night that she hat killed herself - hung herself in the attic. I had found her but I couldn't remember that. Psychic trauma the doctors were calling it and my father left it at that. A year later I found out that my father wasn't my father at all but the man my mother had married and that I was the product of an affair my mother had had with shortly after the marriage. As I grew older I started to look more like the man she had only seen one night in her life. She was mentally instable and couldn't live with the shame of having cheated on her husband who she loved dearly.

"So when one night he was drunk again and threw me out of the house, I was taken to the nearest orphanage and not a week later Mr. Bane - my biological father - came and took me in. I was 11 years old and greatful that he had loved my mother enough to take the kid of her in. Well I was a kid and I thought everything could be explained by one loving another, that my step-father didn't love me anymore because his wife was dead and I was clearly not his responsibility any longer. It was soon after he took me in that I noticed that something was wrong with this man. He started watching me while I showered or wanted to apply cream on my skin to protect it - his words not mine. After a while that became a routine I had gotten used to.

"Then puberty hit and a new routine was established. He - he encouraged me to touch myself. He didn't watch that but still he had this little smirk on his face every morning and it creeped me out. When I told him I was bi and had a boy I liked he just nodded and I was glad that he took it so well. Ragnor's parents needed a lot more time to get used to their boy seeing another boy. That's when he started serving alcohol in the evenings and made me drink some as well. Before I knew it, I was addicted and needed the alcohol every night to get to sleep. I didn't even know that my life was going downhill and then Ragnor and I found the porn stack and you know already what happened then.

"What I didn't know was that he had a camera hidden in my room. So he watched me while I was 'playing with myself' and how I slept with Ragnor. He showed me the film and told me that some business partners were interessted. You know I had never asked him what exactely he was doing until that day. I was disgusted with him - he was my father and he did that to me. But when Ragnor died in an accident, I thought I hadn't anything to loose. So I became a willing participant in my father's little underground movies as he liked to call them. That way I got to know Camille. She was already 16 years old and liked the attention the men were giving her. So we started seeing each other outside of the studio and she introduced me to partys and drugs.

"I was 14 and my father didn't give a shit what I was doing. I got money for everything I wanted. What I didn't get was the security of a home. One night I bought drugs from an undercover police officer. They arrested me. I was sitting in a cell for hours to sober up before they interrogated me. That time I still hoped my father would come and rescue me or at least get me a lawyer. So I waited and waited until the door opened. A young police officer walked inside and took me to the showers and restrooms. I got some spare clothing and was let into an interrogation room where the undercover officer and to my surprise a young police officer from the murder division were waiting.

"The older officer asked some questions about myself. How old I was, where I lived, if I had problems with my family - the average questions every teenager get asked. When I didn't answer the older officer just sighed and left the room. The younger one eyed me suspiciously. He asked me if I remembeered him, that we had met before for a short time. He said 'You're Malie's son, aren't you?'. Nobody had ever asked me that. Depsite my asiatic complexion and eyes everybody always said 'oh you look like your Dad.'. He was the first one who asked me about my mother. I took a better look at him and we got to talk. In the end he asked me if I wanted to get out of the hell I called home. That was when I really broke down.  
"Kindness was entirely new to me. Somebody who cared for me and my needs. At first I didn't want to change my life. I thought I was happy with the way things were going. I was 14 years old and I didn't know that I was used and abused by my father. When I moved in here I vowed that I would be cutting all strings with my past. I would chnge schools, change friends and that I wouldn't contact anyone from my past. But I didn't think how well the connections were my father had. He send Camille to me and she was the one person I couldn't say 'no' to. She convinced me to make it one last time and 'why yes wouldn't it be great in their bed?'. That was the last time I had seen her in person.

"A week later I got to know what kind of madman my father really is. I got a DVD with all the little movies I was starring in and the last one was the day Camille came to the loft. That was the day I told Will and Jem everything."

Swallowing heavily after his long speech the older teen fell silent. Alec wanted to ask him so many questions and at the same time he wanted to keep silent, to bury the past and move on foreward as Magnus had suggested.

"If I had known that Camille was hosting the party, I swear I wouldn't have gone there and I certainly wouldn't have dragged you there with me."

Alec licked his lips. "Would you have told me about your past if I hadn't met Camille tonight?"

"I would have. Not tonight, but I would have trusted you with it. My past is my past and I can't change that but I can change my present enough that my future will be worth waiting for."


	11. 11 - Trustworthy

"Hey Dragon there is someone to see ya!" Will was turning around to the annoying voice of his colleague who has taken a liking to calling him "dragon", "red dragon", "welsh dragon" or anything dragon related he could come up with. The raven haired man sighed and closed the file he was looking at.

"And who is my mysterious visitor?" There weren't any visitors registered for today as there hadn't been a new lead in his case.

"Your son. You haven't told me you had one. Thought it was just your cousin living with you."

Will paused in getting up. The only person who fit the description was Alec and there wasn't a reason he could think of why Alec would be coming to his working place instead of waiting until he came home and shouldn't he still be in school? He sighed and walked over to the room indicated by his colleague.

Alec was standing at the windows looking at the city outside. He had a visitor's badge on his jumper and his coat and bag were hanging from the hallstand beside the door. The teen was sipping something from a styrofoam cup someone must have gotten him before they called for Will.

"Alec? Is there something wrong?"

The raven haired youth shook his head not looking at him. Will closed the door and sat down at the table waiting for Alec to make the first move. He had learned when dealing with teenagers with a past as Alec's or Magnus' that being patient is the best way to get them to talk.

"When I met Magnus on that very first day, he asked me if I trusted him. I obviously did as I went with a person I didn't know and trusted him to take me to a place far away from the place I was coming from. He asked me to trust you and Jem and again I did that without hesitation because I could feel how good you were for each other, how well you treated each other."

The raven haired teen fell silent again and looked outside again mulling over what he should say next. After Magnus' confession the week before he had been thinking about going to his guardians or Magnus and just tell everything what had happened at the Institute. He turned around and sat opposite his guardian. The young man looked at the table circling what seemed to be a burn mark from a cigarette.

"I think Jem had his suspicions where I had been before and I think so did you. Magnus certainly had his own suspicions. But after last week after what Magnus has told me or that time when Jem had a seicure and you trusted me with your pasts I still kept silent. And I can't do that any longer."

Alec looked up from the table and looked Will directly in the eyes. His eyes were shining with unshead tears and his voice was getting a little rough from the emotional turmoil he was going through.

"My name is Gideon Alexander Lightwood and my biological family sold me to the Institute to be prostituted."

Will was gaping at Alec who was now crying silently still looking at his guardian. In all the weeks he had been living with them, in all the weeks that Will had suspected Alec could be the boy 'Gee' from the interrogation in December, he had hoped that that was not the case. And here the very boy was sitting waiting for the adult he trusted to say something , to do something, to make him feel better. Within seconds he was next to Alec and hugged him close and let him cry into his shoulder. Just a week ago Alec had been crying onto his chest when he - by coincidence, Will was sure of that - walked past the former Institute.

"Hey Dragon... Oh damn Will you shouldn't make your kid cry no matter what he did. We all skipped school once or twice."

Growling under his breath because that wasn't just the right time, he called out to his colleague "Get me Jocelyn, now!". Within minutes a woman with dark red hair was standing in the small visitor's office. Will looked up to her as he handed Alec a handkerchief.

"I need to call Jem. He has to be here for this conversation."

The older man got his mobile from his pocket and tried to call Jem. Appearently the other man was occupied so Will left him a message. The woman had taken a seat at the table looking at the two. She wasn't sure why she was needed here. She was Will's partner for the Institute-case and not a councellor when it came to illegitimate children. As she was about to voice her thought, Alec looked at her.

"Oh my gosh. You're Gee."

The teen frowned at the woman sitting opposite him. Where did she get that name? Only the people at the Institute were calling him that. It was intended as an abbreviation for his name and his 'new name' within the Institute. The woman - who Alec pressumed was Jocelyn - was getting up again and walked outside. When she came back she had a laptop, a file folder and a recording device with her.

"Where did you find him, Will? The guy told us he was gone. Oh my gosh. That will be get us to move foreward."

The older man looked annoyed at his partner. She was entirely too excited for someone who was schooled in dealing with distressed teenagers.

"Would you mind to shut up, Jocelyn? I didn't 'find him' as you call it. That is Alec. You know my ward Alec and Magnus' boyfriend."

She slumped back into her chair.

"Then I really don't know what I should be doing here. I'm not some baby-sitter. Especially as you are still here."

"That is because he is related to the case. Jem is on his way and as soon as he is here, we will start. Until then, please don't sadden my kid any further."

She huffed and got her equipment ready murmuring under her breath.

* * *

Jem came twenty minutes later. He was sitting next to Alec as moral support and as his guardian while Will and Jocelyn took the other side of the table. A bottle of water was standing in front of Alec and tea was cooling in the mug standing next to Jem. The gray haired man was sitting as close as possible next to his ward without touching him. Jocelyn was tipping away on her laptop and getting the recording device ready. When she was done she nodded at Will who opened a file folder.

Alec could see several photographs of buildings similiar to the one he had been standing in front of that night last week. There was a map with red dots on it which were connected by a red line.

"January 9th, 2008. Interview of witness Alexander Michael Herondale, born September 19, 1992. His guardian James Carstairs is present. Interview by Agent William Herondale and Agent Jocelyn Fray."

Will looked at Alec. The teen was bitting his lip. When they had thought up a name for their new ward without knowing his past, they hadn't thought that one day it would be stated on one of the interrogation tapes.

"Please state your birth name for the record."

"Gideon Alexander Lightwood."

"Where are you born, Alec?"

"Idris, New England."

"How long have you been living with your guardians?"

"Since September 4, 2007."

"How did you come to live with your guardians?"

"I ran their ward Magnus over and destroyed a cake in the process."

Will snorted at Alecs blunt reply to his question. Taking a deep breath he continued questioning the boy.

"Why were you running into Magnus?"

"I was trying to get away from .. that place."

"Could you specify what you mean by 'that place'?"

"The... the Institute."

"Could you describe the Institute for me?"

"It was a brick buidling. One of the old ones. Four storeys high with a small back yard. A golden plaque was installed at the right side of the door."

Will got one of the pictures from the file folder and held it up for Alec to see.

"Agent Herondale showing witness picture of last known shelter of the Institute in Manhatten, New York City. Was it this building, Alec?"

The teen took a look at the building.

"Yes."

"Could you describe the place on the inside for me?"

"I haven't seen much. When I arrived it was dark and the headmaster was leading us towards his office. It was on the second floor. The rooms were on the third and fourth floor. New boys were sleeping in a twin room with an attached toilet. The older ones got their own bedrooms upstairs. There were rooms on the second floor where the classes were held in the morning. In the afternoon we moved to the infirmary on the ground floor. There were rooms in the basement where I haven't been."

"You said 'us'. Who was with you at that time, Alec?"

The teenager bit his lip and looked uncertain from one guardian to the other.

"Robert Lightwood. My father."

Silence descended around the room. Even Jocelyn had stopped tipping on the laptop and looked at Alec.

"Your father brought you to the Institute?"

"Yes. He paid $2000 to leave me with those people."

"Short break for witness."

* * *

Will stopped the recording device and looked at Alec then at Jem whose knuckles were turning white. He could see the rage building in his partner's eyes. When Alec had said hat he had been sold to the Institute Will hadn't taken it that literally. But hearing the sum of $2000 for the life of a child. That little sum of money to get rid of a child.

Jem stood up and went outside. He couldn't sit still any longer. What was this Robert thinking when he sold Alec - sweet polite Alec - to the Institute? Will had told him the essentials of his case. That it wasn't an easy one, that children were involved and that some of them turned up dead on the streets of New York. Will hadn't told him what the report of the coroner said but whenever his partner got too silent and brooding he knew that something terrible must have happened to those children. He walked to the stairs needing some fresh air or a sandbag - whatever came first.

Huffing he made his way upstairs. He thought about last week when Magnus had told Alec about his past. That awful night when afterwards he couldn't get any sleep because having to hear the story of the green eyed teen again made him think about the time when he himself was addicted to his medication, when he searched the back streets of New York for men willing to pay for... He punched the nearest wall. The pain made him forget about his train of thoughts but it made him feel dizzy. He sat down and took a deep breath. He could feel the panic attack coming and tried to prevent the most of it. He needed to be strong for Alec, for what the young teen would tell them about those weeks before he came to their home.

"Feeling better now? You should let somebody take a look at your hand."

Of course Will would find him here. His partner had always known where to find him even before when they were 'only' schoolmates and then friends. A bottle of water was pressed in his hands and he took a sip of the clear cold water.

"Did you leave Alec with Jocelyn? I don't think he likes her."

Will just snorted and took a step to the side to reveal the teen standing behind the older man. Concerned blue eyes were watching him. To reassure the teen that everything was alright the gray haired man smiled at the teen and took another sip of his bottle. Feeling a lot calmer than moments before he stood up and took the teen's hand in his walking with him downstairs back to the small visitor's office. A resolve was forming in his mind: when today was over he would take some time off and drive with Alec and Magnus to a small farm near a lake outside New York. His oncle had aquired it when he was a young man himself and let Jem use it whenever he needed a rest from his life in New York.

* * *

"Continuation of Witness interview of Alexander Michael Herondale. Gaurdian and Agents still present."

Will had closed the fill folder. There wasn't anything inside for Alec to see. He thought about his next questions.

"Could you tell me about the inhabitants of the Institute? Were there many boys?"

"I don't know. I have only every seen the headmaster, our teachers and the doctor. Beside me there was Adam. We shared a room on the third floor. He told me about the book. There were two others in my classes. I don't know their names."

"What book did Adam tell you about?"

"The book which contained every information about all the boys who ever lived in the Institute."

Will could feel Jocelyn freeze next to him. That was news and if they got a hold of the book they could hunt the families of the children down and see who else was behind the Institute.  
"Do you remember anything else from the book?"

Alec shook his head. He had searched for his name and not looked at the names in the book.

"It was rather thick and old. It smelled like the books in the library which don't get read too often."

"Do you remeber the names of the adults? The headmaster or the teachers?"

"The teachers were called Miller and Smith. They left as soon the classes were over. I wasn't looking much at them. The headmaster's name was Hodge Starkweather. He had a golden plaque standing on his desk with his name and 'headmaster' underneath. I hit him with it when I ran away."

"You.. hit him with the plaque?"

"Yes. He was bleeding when I left his room. Can I get in trouble for hitting him? Do ... do you think I killed him?"

"Could you describe him to one of our photofit picture experts?"

Alec just nodded as an answer. He could tell that Will wanted to reassure him that he hadn't killed the man but what if the hit to his head had resulted in him bleeding to death on his own floor? Alec didn't feel too well any more. He swallowed heavily.

"Do you need another break, Alec? You look rather sick."

The teen just shook his head. Better to be over it than having to sit here till the end of the day.

"Okay. Last question for now: have you ever seen other man in the building? Someone who had looked like a business man or something like that?"

The teen frowned. He hadn't seen many people coming to the Institute. There were mostly men coming in the evening but he hadn't seen them in person. There was just...

"There was this man. He was visiting our health class one afternoon. He looked at every one of us. He was tall, at least as tall as Will, maybe taller. He had brown hair. But his eyes. He had green eyes. A lot darker than Magnus' and there was something dark in them. They didn't tell us his name."

Will was rummaging through the folder in front of him. He had seen man before, remembered the dark look in his eyes. At least he found the picture he was searching for and held it up for Alec to see.

"Was it this man that visited that afternoon?"

"Yes. That's him. But he didn't have a mustache."

"Thank you, Alec. It is an older picture of the man." Will took a deep breath and turned to the recording device. "Witness Alexander has confirmed seeing Asmodeus Bane in the Institute. End of interview."

* * *

Jocelyn was packing her things up and took the recording device to get the interview rerecorded for their data base. She was eyeing Jem who was gripping his water bottle tightly. Alec was still looking unsure of the disovery they just had made. Asmodeus Bane was Magnus' biological father and appearently he had some strings to the Institute. Will was leaning back in his chair waiting for the photofit expert while he looked at his partner. Ever since he had heard the story of Magnus he had wanted to arrest Bane for using his own son in his productions. But everytime they got close to finding a lead of Bane being part or maybe even the head of a group who sold pictures and movies of young boys and teens to other pedophiles they ran straight into a wall of silence. Magnus' testimony three years ago wasn't good enough for the divisoins' leader. As his ward was a known drug addict and was arrested while he tried to buy more his chief officer told him that even if Magnus was a good boy his statement was a waste of time to investigate. Then Agent Garroway came along and listened to him and they started the investigation of a rumour going around New York.

"Please tell me, that Asmodeus Bane hasn't gotten his hands on other boys."

Will blinked at the sudden outburst from Jem. The man had been silent through all the interview and Will had wondered when it would get the better of his partner.

"Jem..."

"Don't Jem me, William! I want to know if you have evidence that Asmodeus Bane is involved in this case!"

"You know that I can't tell you about an on-going investigation."

Jem stared at the raven haired man and Alec who had been watching those two knew that this wasn't the end of this conversation. When the expert arrived Will excused himself with a kiss to Jem's forehead. Alec blushed because he had never seen his guardians exchanging displays of affection outside of their loft and he hadn't taken Will for one to openly show his co-workers that he was in a relationship with the gray haired doctor.

When the expert was done they had a very accurate picture of Hodge Starkweather for the data base. Alec shuddered when he thought about the man and what he had told him what was waiting for him. Jem led him out of the building to the closest subway station. The sun was already setting and Alec wondered if one of his guardians had thought about to call Magnus and inform him of their late arrival.

After a 15 minutes ride they stopped at the chinese restaurant close to their loft and Jem got them something to eat later. Magnus had been informed by the look of him lounging on the couch with the chairman on his chest while the teen watched one of his favourite shows. He looked up as Alec and Jem entered the loft and got up to help them get the food ready. They ate in silence and left some of Will's favourite for later.

* * *

The other man came home two hours later. The teenagers had gone to bed early and the loft was dark. He walked to the kitchen and reheated the chinese food waiting for him in the fridge.

"Will? Is that you?"

The sleepy voice of his partner made him look up. Appearently Jem had fallen asleep on the couch.

"No I'm some burglar who likes chinese food more than your money."

He walked with his food over to the couch. The gray haired man sat up when the older man took a seat next to him on the couch.

"Are you telling me now? You know about before?"

"Has Alec talked to Magnus about the weeks before he arrived here?"

"Don't evade my question, William. But yes he did and Magnus threw a cup on the floor breaking it."

Will smiled at Magnus action. He could see the small dent on the laminate.

"Have I ever told you why I was visiting Asmodeus Bane when I arrived in New York?"

Jem scowled at the raven haired man. He was still evading his question. But still corious he shook his head.

"Henry send me to my father's cousin to inform him that he still had an eye on him. Asmodeus had a lazy smirk on his face when I told him that and minutes later a boy of eleven walked inside the room saying 'Daddy I'm home. Can we go play now?'. I didn't know what to make of that. Asmodeus send his son - his biological son - outside until he was done and wouldn't he want to say hello to his cousin? He was so shy, Jem. Big green eyes and just so adorable and then this man came along and changed him into this sarcastic drug addict and abused shadow. I don't want that ever to happen again to anyone. When I saw him that night in the police station because we had found another body of a young boy, I was just thinking 'get him out of there'. And now three years later there was Alec. And I hoped that Asmodeus hadn't been on him already and now he's saying that he had been to the Institute and, Jem, that is my chance to get him. To get this swine and get him arrested. To make sure that those two and any other boy will be living without the fear of meeting the fate of Alec or Magnus."

Jem touched Will's face and gently wipped the tears away the other man wasn't even aware had escaped.

"I'm taking Alec and Magnus to the little farm by the lake tomorrow. Do you think you can come with us?"

"I'll drive you there but I can't promise to stay. I'll try to come in the evening."

Jem just hummed his reponse laying back down on the couch and taking Will with him. It wasn't often that the older man needed Jem's reassurance, that he cried in front of the gray haired man. For Jem that was Will's sign of trusting him fully, that he was trustworthy enough to cry on his shoulder and make him feel better.


	12. 12 - Taking a breath

The sight was breathtaking. The ground was frozen and small heaps of snow were lying on the tree branches standing close to the small farm house at the lake. Alec has grown up in a more rural area in New England and should be used to the view of a house at a lake and the solitude it brought. But standing here in front of the house and looking at the small forest around him, he suddenly noticed how much he had missed the sound of nature around him. Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly he felt a lot calmer than the day before.

Two arms sneaked around his waist and he was drawn against the chest of his boyfriend who was laying his head on the smaller teen's shoulder.

"Are you done with breathing in the air? There's air in New York, too."

Magnus snuggled closer to Alec. It was just too early in the morning to be this good-humoured. The older teen couldn't fathom what this fuss about nature and a lake was about. He liked the cozyness of their loft and the availability of cable television and online radio stations and damn he had forgotten to bring his MP3-player. He kissed the free patch of skin of Alec's neck that wasn't covered by his scarf, what earned him a small shudder of the younger teen.

"Magnus, don't molest your boyfriend out here at this time of the day. He'll catch a cold."

The older teen turned around and scowled at Will who was getting the bags from their car.

"I could have slept until now if you hadn't woken me up for a trip to a lake in the middle of nowhere."

"I didn't hear you complaining when I announced going on a holiday this morning."

Magnus mumbled under his breath earning him another shudder from his boyfriend. He grinned and licked the small patch of skin in front of him. Alec squirmed in his arms trying to break free.

"MAGNUS! I told you not to molest him! Take your things upstairs."

Disgruntled the older teen let go of the raven haired teen. Alec was bright red when he turned around and pulled the scarf tighter around his neck to cover every part of his neck. They walked back to the car and got their bags from Will. The older man took Jem's suitcase and his backbag and walked inside with the teenagers where Jem was already making a fire in the hearth to warm the house. It was a small two storey house with a living room and a kitchen in the back and two bedrooms on the second floor. The furniture was old but looked well-kept.

The gray haired man stood up and walked up the stairs. He showed the teen the room they would be staying at.

"It's small and you need to move the beds together if you want to sleep in one bed. We have to share one bathroom up here which is connected to both bedrooms."

There was a small balcony in front of their window, large enough for two people to stand on but nothing else. Alec loved the view immediatley. He could see the lake and the small forest around it. There were paw prints of rodents and birds in the snow on their balcony. Magnus was sitting down heavily on the bed closest to the window, his bag between the twin beds. He felt tired from being woken up in the middle of the night (5 in the morning) and their two hours drive out here. He looked at Alec who was still taking in the scenery.  
"Will and I will be driving to the store in town to buy food. That shouldn't take longer than an hour. We will be having breakfast then. You can take a nap until we're back or read. If you want to go outside, don't go too far into the woods. There are wild animals beside small cute squirrels and bunnies out there."

The gray haired man turned around after he had received a nod from the teenagers and went outside where Will was already waiting in the car. His partner has gotten a day off but he had to go back to work the next day. That would leave him and the teenagers alone for two days until Will came back on Friday to stay with them until Sunday morning. He sighed as he fastened his seat belt. There were a lot of things to buy for the short week of their stay and he needed to get something that Will shouldn't know about at the drug store. Sneaking around had never been one of his strong points and with Will being a cop it was even worth. Well maybe he was lucky today.

* * *

Magnus was yawning on the bed and turned on his side to take a better look at Alec. His boyfriend was still looking outside watching the scenery as if he needed to absorp it for when they went back to New York.

"Tell me about your hometown."

Were the hell had that come from? One moment he was watching the other teen and then he was demanding that he would talk about his hometown?

"Sorry. I don't know where this came from. You don't have to tell me."

Alec smiled at him and lay next to him on the bed. Their coats were long gone but they boots were still on and there feet were dangling from the end of the bed to keep the comforter clean.

"Idris is a small town in New England in the middle of a forest. There is an old art nouveau mansion on a hill overlooking the town but it has been standing empty forever. My favourite seasons were autumn and winter. The forest would shine in red and gold and later the would be snow and we always had a white christmas. It was really old-fashioned with carollers and old-fashioned christmas decoration."

The teen was playing with a button on Magnus' shirt thinking what else to tell him.

"There was a festival celebrating the harvesting season with a bake sale and maze out of hay bales for the kids. They would vote for the tastiest apple pie and the biggest pumpkin. It had been fun."

Alec smiled fondly at his memories of being a kid in the small town but sobered up very soon.

"Everyone knew eyerbody and that wasn't so funny any more. There were rumours and whispers whenever something had happened. Being a small town what else would they be doing? I think that is why... well you know."

Magnus just nodded. Sneaking an arm around Alec's middle moving closer so that Alec's hand was trapped between them. He kissed the smaller teen. They hadn't done that in a while. They staid silent comforted by the warmth provided by the body of the other.

* * *

Alec was woken up by a hand shaking him gently. Jem was leaning over them. Sitting up and rubbing his eyes he looked at the older man. He was placing something in the drawer of the nightstand standing in between the beds. Magnus was still snoring softly next to him, so Alec shook his shoulder what just earned him a grunt and Magnus rolling over onto his other side. That movement exposed a patch of skin on the older teen's stomach and Alec took advantage of it. He started tickeling his boyfriend until he sat up scowling at the younger boy.

"When you're done scowling at each other you can come down for breakfast. I can hear Will's stomach growling up here."

Taking a look at them he added: "Better take a comb and get dressed properly again. I really don't need a repeat of one particular discussion." and walked out of the room. Magnus yawned and made his way to the bathroom taking his toilet bag from his suitcase. Alec just combed his hands through his hair and pulled his sweater down. He stretched and stood up from the bed. Magnus got out of the bathroom and they made their way downstairs where the smell of fresh coffee and fresh rolls was coming from. Will was already sitting down, a local newspaper in his hands, while Jem was cutting fruits for their breakfast.

They took their time eating and chatting. Jem told them the story of the small farm and where he got it from. The house had been empty when his uncle had bought it and the man - who had been in his thirties back then - had asked a young woman in a furniture shop to furnish his new weekend home. The young woman had been suspicious at first but whenever she visited the old house she would slowly get to know him better and in the end they fell in love. A year later they were getting married and ever since they were travelling the world. It was decided that they would take a stroll through the woods around the lake before settling into the small house for the next days.

* * *

"Jem? Jem please wake up." The gray haired man woke up groggily. He looked around unsure at first were he was. "Jem?" He looked up at Magnus who was only clad in loose pyjama pants and bitting his lip.

"Magnus?" The older man sat up, an afghan falling from his shoulders. He had fallen asleep on the sofa in front of the fire. The book he remebered having read after dinner was lying on the small table next to the sofa with a bookmark where he pressumed he last had been.

"Jem!"

"Magnus. Yes. Is something wrong?"

He rubbed his eyes still trying to wake up fully. By the distressed state of his older charge he needed to wake up quickly.

"Alec. He's hot. Really hot."

"Hot? What do you mean 'hot'? If this is a joke I'm going to ground you. Gosh I'm too old to sleep on the couch. How late is it anyway?"

Magnus rubbed his hands up and down his bare arms. The ember was still glowing in the hearth but it was getting colder by the minute.

"It's 10 past 3 in the morning and Alec is burning up, Jem."

Jem starred at Magnus before he could make sense out of what the teen was telling him. Before he had time to think further he was up and walking up the stairs to the room the two boys were sharing. Will had gone back to New York that morning what left them without a car and Jem hoped that he had everything he needed to take care of the younger teenager.  
He entered the room. Magnus appearently had turned on the small table lamp on the night stand. They hadn't put the beds together but had opted to sleep in one bed instead. Alec was lying still in bed breathing quickly and sweating heavily. Jem sat down on the bed and rolled the teen on his back.

"Magnus go to my room and get my stethoscope from the first drawer of the dresser."

The older teen didn't hesitaste and walked into the other bedroom getting what was asked of him. He wondered shortly why Jem had brought his stethoscope but was more then happy that the older man had taken it with them. He came back inside and saw Jem taking a small plastic bag from their nightstand. He unpacked some packages of medicine and the gray haired man took the offered stetoscope and warmed it in his hands not to shock the raven haired teen lying on the bed. He listened to Alec's lungs before probing the teen's stomach.

Unsure what to do Magnus took a seat on the unused bed and looked at his guardian and boyfriend. He had been so confused when he had woken up from Alec's labored breathing, thinking the teen had a 'nice dream' but then he felt the temperature of the other boy's skin and without thinking much he stood up and searched for the gray haired doctor to help the younger teen. Magnus blushed when Jem got some cream from the plastic bag, smeared it on the thermometer and took Alec's temperature rectally rolling the younger teen on his side again.

He could see that Jem must have been able to wake the younger teen up as sleepy blue eyes were watching him. Alec's breathing had slowed down and while Jem was rubbing circles on the raven haired boy's back said teen drew geometrical forms on the bed sheets. Minutes passed and from time to time Jem was looking on his wrist watch. After what must have been ten minutes he removed the thermometer and wipped it on a tissue. Alec rolled back on his back and looked at the doctor.

"Your fever is very high for someone who had been feeling well at dinner but nothing to be afraid of when taken care of. Your right lung sounds clogged but your left lung is free. My diagnosis: influenzal infection. You need to stay in bed for at least two days, three would be better. No strenuous activities for at least a week. We will see if you can go back to school the week after we go back to New York."

The gray haired man got a pill from one of the packages still lying on the nightstand.

"Magnus go and get us some water. Alec will need to take something against the infection."

The older teen stood up and walked downstairs to get a bottle of water from the kitchen. Jem walked over to the dresser and got a pyjama from one of the drawers and some underwear. He walked back over to the younger teen.

"We will need to change the sheets of the bed. I want you to take a shower and get dressed before you can lie down again, understood?"

Alec just nodded and took the clothes from his guardian. He sat up slowly. His muscles felt like jelly and he didn't know if he could get to the bathroom himself. He removed the sweaty bed sheets and stood up. The younger teen swayed and Jem helped him to sit down again just when Magnus came back again with a bottle and a glass. Alec took them gratefully from his boyfriend and emptied the first glass of water in one go. He refilled the glass and took the offered pills from Jem. The blue eyed teen grimaced at the taste from the pills and downed another glass of water to get rid of the it.

"Magnus? Take Alec to the bathroom and help him get showered. I will change the sheets."

The older teen just nodded and took the clothing from Alec and helped him to the shower. When they escaped, the bed was freshly made and the duvet from the other bed was thrown back as well.

"I'm sorry, but you two can't sleep in one bed until Alec is well again. I would feel better if Magnus would be sleeping in Will and my room but I know how well that would go down with the two of you. So I trust you not to climb in each other's bed."

Alec lay down in his bed and covered himself with the fresh duvet while Magnus just sat down on his bed. They hadn't slept in seperate beds since day one and even then Magnus had ended up in Alec's bed. Jem stroked over the younger teen's head and wished him a 'good night'. Sighing the older teen lay down when Jem stopped him. The older man got his stetoscope from the nightstand and listened to the older teen's lungs and took a look at his throat. Satisfied the older man told Magnus to lie down and covered him with the duvet.

"Good night. I'll be back in the morning. If Alec's breathing gets laboured again, I want you to come and get me."

Magnus just nodded. He turned on his side to look at Alec when he turned back to his guardian who was nearly outside.

"Why did you bring your equipment? Normally you don't have that with you when we're on holiday."

"Alec's breathing had already changed back home. If I would have told Will, he would have disagreed with coming here but I thought you two needed some much needed time off. So I packed my stetoscope and got some flu medicine from the local drug store. Now go to sleep, Magnus."

Jem turned around and walked to his room. He set his alarm to 7 a.m. and changed his clothes. He just hoped that Alec would be well enough when Will came back or he wouldn't hear the end of it. He got into bed and closed his eyes.

* * *

Alec's fever had broken by the next morning and he felt well again. Still Jem told him to stay in bed that day. If he still felt well enough in the evening he would think about letting Alec stay in front of the fire the next day. The teen was utterly bored and the 'don't climb into each other's bed role' was still active. Magnus was allowed to stay in their room and read to the younger teen - if he didn't read himkself - but there was nothing to do in the meantime beside getting better - and Alec hated it.

In the evening Jem took his temperature again (Alec had gotten over the embarrasment of getting the thermometer shoved up his ass like a five year old) and declared the blue eyed teen well enough to stand up and walk down the stairs to sit in front of the fire with a blanket. Ths short walk down had him coughing but Jem assured him that he needed to get his lung clear again and coughing would help a lot with this task.

Alec took a seat on the couch closest to the fire. The gray haired man sat next to him and passed him a mug of steaming tea. Magnus was sitting on the armchair sulking because he still wasn't allowed to be too close to his boyfriend. When he had asked Jem why the older man was allowed to sit so close to Alec and not be afraid to get ill, he had simply shrugged and told him "being a doctor I get in contact with a lot of viral infects and thus don't have to fear a common cold. I'm simply immune.". The older teen had huffed and went back to read the book he had started when Alec had gotten ill.

* * *

"James?" Slowly the gray haired man woke up. Two violet-blue eyes were looking at him. He turned his head and found the clock on his nightstand stating 4:28 in the morning.

"You're here early. Is something wrong?"

The raven haired man bend down and kissed his partner shortly.

"Just Garroway telling me to see my family."

Jem sat up in bed and watched Will undress. The older man got into bed and lay on his side.

"There is something you are not telling me."

"I could say the same thing about you. You didn't tell me that Alec is ill."

The gray haired man bit his lip.

"I just wanted them to have a week off after their confessions. They needed some time away from New York."

Will just nodded and stroked over Jem's lip. He leaned up and kissed him again.

"I missed you."

Jem laughed softly and lay down on Will's chest. The raven haired man stroked his partner's back sensually earning hm a grunt from the doctor.

"The kids are just a door away, Will. We can't..."

"I can keep quiet if that is your concern."

"William Herondale! What if Alec wakes up or something is wrong and one of them comes inside? Wasn't once enough for you?"

Will smirked and stroked slowly down Jem's creak.

"They are doing more than sleeping at home in the loft and Alec isn't so shy about sex anymore."

Jem had started panting from Will's administrations while he tried to hold his moans in but that felt just too good. When Will entered one finger slowly into him, he couldn't stop himself from moaning lowly in his throat. He nodded and the older man got the lube from their nightstand and prepared his partner before entering him. The gray haired man's breath caught in his throat and he exhaled slowly, signaling Will to start moving. It didn't take long for them to find an even rhythm and Jem was embarrassed at how fast he came.

* * *

It was eight in the morning when Jem woke the next time. Will was still sleeping peacefully an arm thrown over his face and the duvet around his hips. The gray haired man got his clothing and walked into the bathroom to take a short shower. When he was done, he made his way downstairs to start a new fire and get the breakfast ready.

He stopped short on the last step and looked at the hearth where a healthy fire was burning in the grate and Alec was sitting wrapped into the afghan. The teen looked up and greeted his guardian.

"Good morning to you, too, Alec." The older man walked over to the blue eyed teen and felt his forehead. "Your fever is nearly gone. The fresh air and silence must have been good for you." Jem stroked over his hair. "Want to tell me why you're down here - dressed no less - and not upstairs or why you haven't woken me up?"

"I just didn't feel like sleeping or lying in bed any longer and I didn't want to wake Magnus. I kept him up until late with my coughing." The teen got back to reading. "And I looked into your room and Will was back and I thought it would be better to let you two sleep as well."

Jem laughed softely and stood up again to prepare the breakfast.

"Have you started the fire?"

"Yeah. I have done that in Idris often enough."

"Alec. I really don't mind if you say 'home' or 'family' when talking about Idris and the Lightwoods."

"But I do and they aren't. Not anymore. I don't feel like I'm betraying them when I call you and Will and Magnus my 'family' and New York my 'home' as I feel like would betray you three when I speak of them as family and home. Do you know what I mean?"

"Yes. I know what you mean. Thank you for starting the fire."

* * *

The last days went over too quickly for all of them. They took a picture in front of the lake for their family wall at home and packed the car. Alec was still coughing but his left lung was free again and Jem told him that he would be able to go back to school on Wednesday if he still took his medicine for the rest of the week.

They arrived at the loft late in the evening and Chairman Meow was greeting them happily. Magnus took the small kitten into his arms snuggling it close to his chest talking baby nonsense words to the white cat. Alec just smiled at them and brought his things into their room. He placed his bag on their bed and took a deep breath. Their bedroom smelled of sandalwood and Magnus and he was glad to be back again.

"I'm home."


	13. 13 - The counsellor

{June 2008}

Alec opened the door to the loft. He felt exhausted after his last Kyuudou training session. There was a competition that saturday and Maia had decided that he schould take part in it. She didn't ask him if he felt ready for that much attention - he preferred to stay in the shadows of the others. He sighed and closed the door behind him and hung his jacket up. It was June and he was glad for the air condition in their loft as he couldn't stand being outside any longer than necessary and he didn't feel the need to sweat at home as well.

The young man got his bag from the floor and turned around - to run into a solid chest that smelled faintly of tobacco. He looked up into friendly hazel eyes, he couldn't recall to ever have seen before.

"Hello, Alexander. It is nice to finally meet you in person.", the man said smiling at the teen in front of him whose mouth was slightly open.

"Oh Henry, don't scare the young lad." A petit woman hit 'Henry' on the arm and took his place in front of Alec. The teen was still buffled and hadn't said a word since entering the loft. Her brown hair was in a high bun and her chocolate brown eyes were looking amused at the raven haired teen.

"I'm Charlotte and this is my husband Henry. We talked on the phone at Christmas. Do you remember?"

Alec blinked once, twice and nodded slowly. He remembered having talked to a 'Henry' and 'Lotti' living in London. They were the foster parents of Will and had taken him and his sister in when their parents had died. And appearently now they were standing in their loft in New York and Alec didn't have a clue why they would be here and where his guardians or Magnus were.

"Not very talkative, are you? Well maybe Magnus is the more outspoken one in your relationship.", the ginger haired man mused as he turned around to get back into the living room area of their loft. Charlotte looked darkly at her husband as she laid her arm around Alec's waist and walked the teen to the sofa where he took a seat with her next to him and Henry opposite them.

"So tell me, Alec, how is school going and your training?" Charlotte was asking while getting a bottle of water and a glass from the kitchen. She sat them in front of the blue eyed teen and smile reassuring.

"I... well... good. I... Where is Will or Jem?"

As if he had heard Alec's question the door to the loft opened and Will came in. He stopped short as he took in the occupants of his living room and scowled.

"What are you two doing here?"

Henry barked a laugh and stood up to greet his foster son with a hug.

"Lotti was yearning to meet Alec and to visit you and James and Magnus. We haven't seen each other in more than two years."

"So you decided to break into the loft and scare the hell out of Alexander who hasn't met you in person?"

The men had moved into the living room and Will hugged Charlotte who kissed his cheek.

"That was the lovely idea of Henry. He wanted it to be a surprise and he had surprised me by taking me to the airport last night to fly here. Never in my life, I had to travel with just one change of clothing."

Alec visibly relaxed when Will took a seat on the armrest next to him. The older man lay a hand on the teen's shoulder rubbing it affectionately. They talked until Jem and Magnus came home and some more while they made dinner. It was decided that Henry and Charlotte would be staying with them until they had to fly back to London the following evening.

* * *

Henry was looking out of the windows of the living room. He took a sip of his whisky while he observed the midnight sky. The child - Alexander - had warmed up to them during dinner and even let Charlotte hug him when he had wished them a 'good night'. The ginger haired man had been hesitant when Will had asked him to get the paperwork for a guardianship done and he tried to talk his foster son out of it when he saw a picture of the boy he and Jem would be taking in. The resemblance of William as a child had been a mild shock to say at least.

"You're still up?"

The older man turned around to his foster son and smiled at him.

"I could be saying it's due to 'Jet-lag' but we both know that it would be a lie." He took another sip of his whisky emptying the tumbler. "I wanted to talk to you without the interruption of the children, Jem or Charlotte."

Will refilled Henry's tumbler and got one for himself.

"You could have come to the office. Garroway would have been delighted to see you."

Henry 'hmm'd and took another sip.

"Asmodeus is not in the US any longer."

"I know. He had been under surveillance."

"Have you told Magnus?"

"No. Why would he need to know that his biological father has left the country on one of his many business trips? It's not that he would be interested anyway. He hates that man. Even more so after he got to know that Asmodeus had his eyes laid on Alec."

"Alexander - Alec - he is a nice boy. Very polite. Nothing like you at that age."

Will snorted into his drink.

"Are you still afraid I want to live my fantasy with a son looking like me and Jem as my wife? You know as well as I do, that something like that would never happen."

"I heard that the marriage of same-sex couples in New York is possible."

"Have you had too much whisky?"

Henry sighed into his drink and looked at the city in front of him.

"William, how long have you been together with Jem, now?"

"Nearly seven years."

"And how long have you been in love with him?"

Will kept silently sipping his drink. Henry knew how long Will had been in love with Jem. Even during his marriage with Tessa, he had been thinking of his friend and sometimes he would dream of them together. The raven haired man had been horrified when it first had happened and kept it a secret from his wife. She didn't need to know that sometimes when they were making love her husband was thinking of another man under him.

"Are we done talking about my love life?"

Henry smiled at the other man and got an envelope out of his jacket's pocket.

"The information you wanted. I don't know why you needed me. Those things can be looked up in your databases as well."

"Just to make sure there wasn't anything international missing from our database."

Henry rolled his eyes as Will opened the envelope. He took out an file folder and opened it slowly. The first thing he saw was a family picture of the Lightwood family probably taken 2 or 3 years ago. He read through the scarce information provided on the next pages. Nothing. There wasn't anything in there what could give them a clue as to why Robert had taken Alec to the Institute and where he got the information about the Institute in the first place and where to go to 'sell' Alec. He closed the file folder and emptied his tumbler.

"Found something?"

"Nothing I haven't known before. But still..." He exhaled loudly and got up from his seat on the armchair. "Why didn't his mother look for him? I mean is it really possible that he can fake messages and telephone calls and so on just so that she wouldn't go looking for him? What about the siblings?"

"Maybe she knows and helps him fake the messages?"

"Do you think Charlotte could do something like that to Matthew or Charles if the other had been taken away?"

"William, calm down before you wake the children or James. We don't know yet why the rest of the family hasn't been looking for him. Maybe Robert or someone else is helping. We have to wait and in the meantime they were put under surveillance."

"I wish I could do more."

"You could. Take your family and come visit us in England. There will be a celebration at the end of July and Charlotte and I would be glad if you could be part of it."

"How would a visit to England help me solve the case?"

"It would help you stop thinking about the case day and night. Sometimes you need to distance yourself before you can end a case to your satisfaction. With Asmodeus gone there isn't another lead you can follow, am I right?" William just nodded. "Then you can as well take some time off and show Alec the land of your ancestors."

Will rolled his eyes but nodded. "I'll take it into consideration." With a pat on the head and a final 'good night' Henry made his way to his bedroom leaving Will to think in the living room.

* * *

{July 2008}

Jem was searching through his suitcase. When he found the small package of ginger tablets he handed them to Alec who was still looking slightly green from his first flight. Magnus was sitting next to him rubbing small circles into the younger teen's back.

The blue-eyed teen chewed the tablet thoroughly before he swallowed and took a small sip from the water bottle. The flight to London had been the first in his life and everything had been fine - until they hit a turbulance short before they landed at Heathrow Airport.

Sighing he leaned against Magnus who was still rubbing his lower back. If they hadn't been in such an open area he would have gladly moaned his approval. But he had to wait for that until they reached the residence of Will's family where they would be staying over.

"Feeling better?"

Alec opened his eyes and saw Jem hovering over him. As he didn't feel anymore like he would bring up his last meal the younger teen nodded.

"Then we should propably find William and get into the car. It's still a two hour drive to Henry's."

The gray-haired man put his suitcase on top of the other two suitcases and put Alec's bag on top. Magnus hoisted his backpack up and steadied his boyfriend who was swaying as he got to his feet. They made their way through the airport to the underground garage where Will was already waiting with their rental car.

They put their belongins into the trunk and took their seats. Alec and Magnus who were sitting in the back cuddled as close together as the seat belts allowed. The blue-eyed teen closed his eyes willing his stomach to calm at least until they were safetly in a home with a full functional bathroom and hopefully comfortable beds.

The journey didn't take too long at least that is how it felt to Alec. Soon after he had drifted off he was shaken awake by his boyfriend who was looking as awake as himself. Will was already getting their suitcases from the trunk handing two of them to a young man somewhere between 17 and 23. He carried Alec's bag and a suitcase himself, Jem taking the last one. Alec blushed as he felt useless because his guardians felt that he couldn't carry a suitcase. His stomach was upset, there was nothing wrong with arms. He sighed and followed the others taking Magnus' offered hand.

Charlotte came out of the house and greeted them eagerly. Her hair was in a ponytail and she looked years younger from the last time Alec had seen her. She kissed Will and Jem on their cheeks and moved in to hug Magnus and himself. He cringed shortly because the sudden movement made him dizzy again. A small hand found its way to his forehead.  
"Oh you poor dear. The flight wasn't to your liking, then?" She slung her arm around his waist and lead him and Magnus inside where Henry was greeting their guests. The young man who had helped to bring their baggage inside was Charlotte's and Henry's youngest son Matthew who was 19 and studying at the university. He had Henry's gentle eyes and his blonde hair was tied into a ponytail. They shook hands and the young man led Magnus and Alec to their room upstairs.

"So is it true? The magnificient Magnus has been tamed and has had a boyfriend for the last 10 months?", Matthew was asking as he sat down on the bed next to the suitcase he had carried upstairs.

"Nearly 10 months now, my dearest Matthew, and what is it to you? Jealous?"

The blonde man sighed and eyed Alec who didn't know what to make out of their conversation.

"Kind of. He is cute. Looks a bitt too much like Will for my liking but I see what you see in him." He smirked at Magnus who was just rolling his eyes and unpacking his things. "Have you already 'you know'?"

"My aren't you nosy today?" Magnus packed his clothing into the drawer of the wardrobe and got his and Alec's suits from the suitcase. "And as long as you refer to sex as 'you know' I won't answer you. Not that it is any of business to begin with."

Matthew pouted on their bed before he looked Alec straight into the eye and smiled. "Want to go look at the horses?"

"What?" Alec had blushed throughout their conversation and the sudden change of topic was unexpected. "I.. There are horses?"

"There are three to be exact and they need feeding anyway. You can help me and tell me wa bit more about yourself."

Matthew pulled Alec out of their room and downstairs so fast that the younger teen didn't have the time to protest. They were outside and walked over to the stables were the equipment was kept. The three horses of the family - Donner, Blitzen and Vixen - were already waiting for their food. Matthew told him a lot about the estate, the family - Matthew's brother Charles was 7 years older and married with a child and another on its way - and the horses. He got some information out of Alec - his Kyuudou training and the competition he had won in June, what kind of books he liked to read and that Alec could not dance for his life although it was expected from him at the festival - but as his questioning got too private the raven haired teen kept silent. His cheeks were burning by the time they escaped from the stables and Will who had been sitting on the terrace just arched an eyebrow and scowled at Matthew.

* * *

"Matthew, may I talk to you?", Will was asking the youngest Brainwell son after dinner. The three teenagers were sitting on the floor in front of the vast DVD collection to decide what to watch while the adults talked in the study.

"Sure." The blonde young man stood up and followed the older man outside the room. They went beyond the study and outside into the garden. Will stopped and sat down into the grass looking at the empty paddock. Matthew took the hint and sat down next to him waiting for the older man to start talking.

"I don't know what your parents have told you about Alec or his relationship with Magnus but I want you to stop teasing him."

Matthew huffed next to him and lay back into the grass looking up into the sky. "They didn't tell me much. Just that he is like Magnus in some aspects of his past life and that they are together. Didn't think it was possible for Magnus to be in a committed relationship."

"He is now or had been for the past ten months and I hope that that won't change for the near future if ever."

Matthew kept silent and looked at the clouds passing over them. "Do you really think there is something like 'ever-lasting love' out there?"

Will lay down next to his foster brother and observed him from the corner of his eyes. "For someone who believes: definitely." It was getting late and the sun slowly set in the west painting the sky a deep red.

"Do you think that a relationship can work if one of the partners isn't all that interessted in being intimate?"

Will's eyes snapped open to the younger man's question. He looked at him with big round eyes while Matthew blushed a deep red.

"What?!"

"I can't very well have that conversation with mother or father, now can I?"

"And I'm the only person available?"

"Well I can't ask James. That would be so... wrong somehow and I think he would try to 'solve the problem' from a scientific point of view. Magnus is more than a year jounger than me and definitly very active... Charles is married with kids and I can't just ask my older brother about something like that."

"I'm your older brother, too."

"But it's not embarrassing to aks you, okay? Now would you be so kind and answer my question?"

Matthew's cheeks were still a deep red and he was huffing from his little rant. Will took his time before answering his question.

"Does your partner know?"

"Who says that this about me?"

"Matthew, please. You wouldn't ask me something so specific if it wasn't about you."

"I well... I don't know. I think he thinks that I'm just shy or something."

"When Jem and I started dating we weren't jumping each other's bones from minute one despite our lingering feelings from the past. I thought that he was careful of my feelings and I wanted to treat him like a true Gentleman. So we weren't intimate. We waited until the other was ready. What I didn't know at that time was that Jem wasn't just careful of my feelings but very afraid of going further with our physical relationship. He had done... stuff that he is not proud of to get what he wanted and before I came along that was his medicine. After finding him nearly dead in his flat and a discussion with his doctor I got to know how far he had gone to nurse his addiction. We talked that night when he was able to leave the hospital and then some more over the next months until we both were ready to take the next step."

Matthew was listening silently to Will's story.

"And how does that help me?"

"I think you should talk to your partner and tell him how you feel. It won't do your relationship any good if you both assume things from the other and just wait. If he wants to be with you then he won't pressure into something you don't want."

Matthew sat up and nibbled on his bottom lip. "Thank you. I'll consider this." He stood up and left Will alone lying on the grass.

"When exactly have I become a counsellor for teenage boys and their relationships?", the raven hair man asked no one in particular.

"When you decided to be the guardian of two boys with a troubled past, William." Will opened his eyes and looked up at Jem who had taken Matthew's vacated seat in the grass. "It is beautiful out here."

"And how long have you been eavesdropping, James?"

"Oh just for the last part of your conversation and I think it was helpful although Matthew doesn't know that yet."

Will snorted and looked up at the sky again where the first stars were visible."I thought you were asexuell when we first met again." Jem just 'hmm'd and lay down next to Will with his head on his partner's chest. "You're not offended?"

The gray haired man silently stroked over Will's chest before he answered, "No. I thought as well that I was asexuell because prostituting yourself for your addicition isn't really a turn on, if you ask me. But I learned to enjoy the more physical aspect of a relationship with you again. I'm greatful that is was with my first love." He inhaled deeply and kissed the underside of Will's chin.

Will stroked lightly over Jem's back. He liked his lips, "James?"

"Yes?" The raven haired man heard that Jem was getting sleepy.  
"Marry me."


	14. 14 - New Year, new feelings

[January 2009]

James looked out of the window of his office sighing into his tea. The silver band on his left hand was glistening in the morning light, a weight on his hand he still had to get used to. He drank the last of his beverage and put the cup back on the table. July in England was long gone and with their return came a new school year - Magnus’ senior year in high school -, two birthdays (Alec’s sweet 16 with a hell of a party and Magnus turning 18 and a not so big party (thank any deity out there the teen wanted to spent the evening in a restaurant all grown up)) and a hyphened surname since the beginning of the year.

He sighed again wishing for another cuppa cuppa, knowing fully well that Chris would yet again reprimand him for his high blood pressure should he get one. A knock on his door startled him out of his thoughts. After calling out for the visitor to enter - as he hadn’t any appointments scheduled this morning – his younger ward walked into the room a slight blush forming on his cheeks.

“Alec? What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be in school?”, the young doctor asked standing up from his chair to hug the raven haired teen despite having seen him not 3 hours ago at the breakfast table.

“Yeah. But, well, there was something I wanted to ask you, if you don’t mind.” His ears turned red and he fiddled with the hem of his jumper.

Jem looked suspiciously and arched one grey eyebrow. “Ask me as a guardian or as a doctor?”

Alec licked his lips not looking at the older man and answered with a soft voice “Both. I suppose.” 

The older man just nodded. “Okay. Then I think you should leave your things here and come with me to one of the examination rooms.” The raven haired teen did as he was told and left his jacket and backpack in Jem’s office following the doctor. The older man closed the door behind both of them and motioned for him to take a place on the exam table. He himslef took a seat on the desk chair facing the younger male waiting for him to start. After some minutes had passed and Alec still hadn’t said a word, James sighed – he did that a lot this morning. “Alec, I can’t help you if you don’t tell me what is wrong.”

The teen still fiddled with his jumper biting the inside of his cheek and then took a deep breath, letting it out slowly He couldn’t look at his guardian. “I.. Magnus and I, we…” Another deep breath. “Gods, that’s so embarrassing to talk about.” He wiped a hand over his face. “We had sex and it still burns. My behind I mean.”

James blinked at the younger teen. “Did you use lube?” A nod from the teen. “Was it your first time?” Another nod. The older man leaned back and let out a breath. He looked at his hands that were resting on the armrests of his chair. “Did Magnus – and I’m asking this from a doctor’s point of view just to eliminate some of the many answers I have for your problem – did Magnus prepare you enough? Did it hurt when he penetrated you?” A shake from the teen’s head who still hadn't had the courage to look up. The doctor nodded, eyeing his ward closely. The shoulders were slumbed forward but his hands were gripping the exam table so hard his knuckles had turned white. The teen swallowed several times and James moved forward to place a hand on the shoulder. “Alec. It’s okay. You don’t need to be embarrassed.” The grey haired doctor squeezed his shoulder and tucked a hair strand behind the Alec’s ear.

“It had never hurt before. I mean we didn’t go all the way but we did more than kissing. And it never hurt before. Maybe it felt a bit uncomfortable for some hours after but it never lasted so long.”

“I think I know what we are looking for, but to be sure I have to take a look.”

Alec nodded mutely, his ears still red from his embarrassment. He got up and walked behind the small screen standing at the end of the exam table getting out of his clothes, changing into the hospital gown Jem handed him. He let out a breath as he walked back to the table and sat down on its edge. The grey-haired doctor had started the computer and opened a file from the database – Alec’s probably – and entered some information into the empty data sheet.

“Lay down on your side facing the wall,” instructed James and got a blue fleece blanket out of the cupboard at the opposite wall. He placedit over Alec after the teen had turned on his side, hoping to keep the cold air at bay.

“Relax, Alec. I’m not going to hurt you, okay?” The teen nodded and tried to do as he was told so that Jem could examine him. He heard Jem putting on gloves and moments later the doctor’s warm hand was prodding him, making the teen shiver. The grey-haired man was careful not to startle his ward when he exposed his anus to examine it properly. He nodded his head when his suspicions were confirmed and stood up, walking over to the medicine cabinet next to the cupboard where he got the blanket from. Alec was craning his head to see what his guardian was searching for and soon found him returning with a tube of cream in his hand, smearing some on his index finger. Jem carefully spread a bit around the teen’s anus before ultimately inserting a finger up to the first knuckle, making Alec flinch and jump from the intrusion.

“What was that?”  
“An antiphlogistic. For your allergic reaction.”

The raven haired teen sat up making a face when he felt the cream spreading in- and outside. “So I had an allergic reaction. To what? We have used different lubes and that never happened before as I have told you.” He swung his legs over the side of the exam table looking at his guardian, his face still flushed.

“Then think back what else you have changed from before,” the doctor told him while he entered the examination results into the computer without even glancing at the teen. He checked the package of the cream entering its name as well before turning back to the still clueless teenager. “You have a latex allergy. We haven’t known it from your last examination because most doctors and hospitals use latex-free gloves. We do as well. It’s rather common these days as one can develop an allergy from increased exposure.” Jem closed the data file after saving his results and got the package from the table. “Get dressed and come to my office. We need to speak about something before I let you go home.”

Alec nodded and James left the room to let him get dressed in peace. Minutes later he walked back into the older man’s office. The grey haired doctor was talking on the phone tapping the receiver with his finger. “No, I will collect them myself. – Yes this afternoon after my shift ends. – Yes. Goodbye.” He turned towards the raven haired teen who was still standing next to the door and waiting for his guardian to address him. The grey-haired doctor took his seat and told Alec to sit down in the visitor’s chair, starting a lengthy monologue about Alec’s allergy and what he and Magnus had to bear in mind before their next intercourse. To say that the lue-eyed was blushing was the understatement of the day, as the red had already spread to the roots of his hair.

 

Alec was sitting on his and Magnus’ bed with his back to the headrest reading a book for his English class. Jem had given him a sick leave for the rest of the day informing his school. Magnus was expected back soon with the rest of his homework. The 16-year-old sighed and put the book down as he felt completely unable to concentrate on even a single paragraph. He eyed the paper bag on their nightstand knowing exactly what was inside and finally shut his eyes before he shuffled down from his position, laying flat on his back. The door opened minutes later and Magnus walked inside with his bag slung over his shoulder. He eyed the younger teen on their bed before walking over and giving him a kiss on the forehead. Alec opened his eyes slowly looking up at his boyfriend a small smile playing at his lips. The green eyed teen leaned down until their foreheads were touching.

“Want to tell me why I was called to the secretary to collect your homework but not you?” Magnus asked kissing the younger teen on his lips.  
“I didn’t feel well. So I went to James and, well, I have to tell you something.” He swallowed and sat back up. “I can’t have.. sex with you for a while. Not until, well, until I’m healed.”  
“Healed? But I thought I didn’t hurt you. We used way more lube than when we…” Alec shushed him with a finger to his lips.  
“You didn’t. Apparently I have a latex allergy.”  
“Allergy? And how do you know? You said you went to Jem, but how… Oh.” Magnus looked at the blue eyed teen with eyes as huge as saucers. “You told him.”  
“I had to. The burning wouldn’t stop and he was the rational choice before we get another lecture on how we are too young to be intimate.” Alec blushed deeply. “And he made it stop. For now any way.”

The younger teen got the paper bag from their nightstand and handed it to Magnus, urging him to take a look. The green eyed youth found the cream with Jem’s neat hand writing on how often and how much to apply of it and a package of latex-free condoms. The older teen blushed giving the bag back to his boyfriend.

“I don’t think I can look at him without blushing tonight - if ever.” Magnus let himself fall onto the bed groaning.   
“Try me. He already applied the cream twice today.”

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[February 2009]

“Having anything planned for you and your sweetheart for Valentine’s Day?”, Jocelyn asked when she brought Will a fresh cup of coffee. It was already late on February 13th and they were still working on their case, having found a new lead for the backers of the institute.

“Not specifically.” He took a sip of the hot liquid grimacing at the taste. “The coffee is getting worse the longer we’re staying here.”  
“Be grateful that you get something hot to drink without having to pay for it,” the redhead answered before getting back to her side of the desk looking through the files they had obtained from one of the “Gentleman” in early January. They worked in silence each of them looking for anything that could help find the new location of the Institute or maybe one of the boys – preferably alive. She sighed as she sifted through the several photographs of boys of all ages and all stages of undress.

“I have a boy this age. Haven’t seen him in some time.”  
Will looked up at her. “You never told me you had two kids.”  
“He wanted to live with his dad after the divorce. Sometimes he calls, sometimes I call. Not the best relationship if you ask me.”  
“Do you miss him?”  
“I do. His sister wishes to visit him next summer. Wants to meet the brother she has nearly no recollection of. My ex isn’t thrilled to see me, of course, but I won’t let her go alone.”  
“Where does he live? Some other town?”  
“Other state. Somewhere in New England. He moved there after the divorce. Don’t know the name of the place.”  
“But you still miss him despite the shitty relationship and your ex’s behaviour?”  
“Yes, of course. He’s my son. Carried him for 9 months before having to press him out of me. Wasn’t a text book birth but, yes, I love him and I miss him. If I didn’t know where he was or if he was well, I would be devastated.”  
Will nodded and looked at the files again. “Makes me wonder why Alec’s mother doesn’t look for him or his sibling for the matter.”  
She looked at him with saddened green eyes. “Yeah me, too.”

 

He could hear the shower running when he opened the door to the loft. Garroway had kicked him out and told him after more than 3 days in the office without a change of clothes and running on coffee and junk food alone. Jocelyn had been home in between to get her daughter to school and to shower as she disliked the showers in the office building, but Will couldn’t just walk out there, his thoughts coming back to Alec and his family. He sighed and kicked his shoes off, hanging his jacket over the back of a chair in their dinning area.

“You’re home.”, he was greeted by the blue eyed teen as he walked out of the bathroom in a pair of loose pyjamas drying his hair with a towel. The water has started again and he could hear the off-key singing of his other charge.  
“You don’t shower together?” He chanced a glance at the younger teen who blushed pink.  
“Not when we wish to get cleaned up,” he cringed at an incredible high screech of Magnus’ singing. “And if I want to keep my hearing.”  
“A year ago, you would have blushed so red and stuttered. Where have these times gone? Now you’re having sex and enjoy it and don’t mind if any of us talk about it. I think we have corrupted you.” Will took a glass from their kitchen counter and filled it with fresh water from the tap before drinking it down in one gulp.   
“Yeah. Maybe. Sure. Whatever.”, Alec answered blushing a deep red and busying himself with his towel. The older man laughed and shrugged, walking over to the raven haired teen. He hugged him to his chest . “And I miss the smaller Alec. You’re nearly as tall as Magnus now. I feel old.”  
The teen poked the older man in the chest. “What is wrong with you? You sound drunk.”  
“Not drunk. Just exhausted. Where’s Jem?”  
“Getting something to eat that is no junk food. Because of his late shifts we got something from the Chinese next block or had pizza delivered.” He poked Will again. “Could you let me go, now? I really need to put the towel away.”

The dark haired man let him go and watched as he went back into his bathroom to hang up his towel. He heard Magnus asking the blue eyed teen if he had heard right and if the older man was back. Before he could hear Alec’s confirmation he turned around and walked into his own bathroom stripping out of his clothing. After three days without so much as a handful of cold water to his face he enjoyed the hot water cascading down his back was waking him up slowly. He washed his hair and the rest of himself before turning off the shower and getting a towel. The raven haired man walked into his bedroom to find his husband sitting on their bed watching his every move. He let his towel fall and let Jem watch his fill before getting a fresh pair of pyjamas from their dresser.

“Do you want to eat something or do you want to sleep?” The grey eyed doctor asked him.  
“I’ll eat a bite and go to bed. I’m exhausted.”  
“Alec thought you were drunk.”  
“Alec hasn’t seen me sleep deprived and running on coffee alone until today. I’m not angry that he thinks I’m drunk despite having never seen me drunk before.”

He sat on their bed getting some socks on his feet. Jem moved closer and started massaging his shoulders. The violet eyed man yawned blinking his eyes. James planted a few kisses on his shoulder and whispered against his skin, telling him to lie down and get some rest. Within moments the older man was fast asleep.

 

Alec was getting out of his pyjama bottoms leaving him in just the top as he crawled into bed with his boyfriend, pillowing his head on Mangus’ naked chest. The older teen was reading the last pages of his book, absentmindedly stroking the younger teen’s back under the loose top. Jem had gone to bed early to tend to Will after they hadn’t seen each other for more than three days and nights and locked the door to their bedroom.

Alec sighed when Magnus’ hand found his way between his cheeks stroking along the crack. The older teen came awfully close to his hole before going back up again and Alec couldn’t help a small shiver. The blue eyed teen could see his boyfriend smirk as he scooted closer. He licked his lips before taking Magnus’ nipple that was closest to him into his mouth, sucking and licking softly on sensitive flesh. The older teen placed his book on their nightstand and finally granted the younger teen his full attention. Magnus got the lube from the small drawer and a condom to use later. When Alec moved between his legs, their erections pressed against each other and Magnus sighed.

“What do you want, Alec?” He asked panting. The blue eyed teen looked up from sucking his nipple, his dick still pushing against Magnus’.  
“Sitting up.”  
“Both of us? Just you riding me?”  
“Riding you.”

After their first night and Jem’s help in the allergy-department they had enjoyed several nights of pleasure finding their preferred positions. The younger teen enjoyed being the bottom looking at Magnus while they slept together, while Magnus liked to switch.

Magnus got the lube and prepared Alec carefully not wanting to hurt his boyfriend in any way. The younger teen sat up after Magnus motioned for him to do so and as soon as Magnus had put on the condom he sank down slowly on the older teen’s hard dick hissing softly. When he felt adjusted enough he started to move slowly setting a pace they both enjoyed. He got closer voicing it to the older teen who started pushing his hips upwards until he felt the tell-tale signs of Alec’s orgasm approaching. He rolled them over tipping the younger over the edge while he moved his hips until he felt himself coming. They lay down, trying to catch their breath. Magnus was the first to move, getting a wet towel from their bathroom cleaning them both up. Alec was already on the brink of sleep when he returned. The older teen moved the younger until they were both in a comfortable position and closed his eyes to let sleep take him.

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Cassandra Clare thought of the wonderful world of the mortal instruments and infernal devices. I just play with the characters and change a bit of their life.


End file.
